Restrictive Definition Research Articles

O desafio da endoetnografia

Neste artigo aborda-se o desafio da endoetnografia como metodologia de pesquisa tanto apartir da literatura quanto a partir da experiência pessoal do autor. Por meio da problematização e da revisão dos conceitos relacionados ao termo “antropologia em casa” e da proposição de uma definição mais específica e restrita para o termo “endoetnografia”, serão discutidos os problemas e as vantagens de seu uso como metodologia de pesquisa, propondo formas de contornar alguns problemas já levantados pela literatura.

221. Superimposed pre-eclampsia is best defined broadly – Analyses from the CHIPS Trial (Control of Hypertension In Pregnancy Study)

Background Any definition of superimposed pre-eclampsia should identify women at increased risk of adverse outcomes. Methods In the CHIPS trial, women at 14 + 0 − 33 + 6 weeks with non-severe chronic or gestational hypertension and a live fetus were randomised to ‘less tight’ (target diastolic blood pressure [dBP] 100 mmHg) or ‘tight’ control (target dBP 85 mmHg). There was no between-group difference in the primary outcome (pregnancy loss or high level neonatal care for >48 h in the first 28 d), secondary outcome (serious maternal complications before 6 weeks postpartum), or pre-eclampsia defined restrictively (by new proteinuria) or broadly (by maternal symptoms, signs, or abnormal laboratory tests). ‘Less tight’ (vs. ‘tight’) control was associated with significantly more severe hypertension, platelets Results For 981/987 women in CHIPS with outcomes, 280 (28.6%) developed pre-eclampsia defined restrictively, and 464 (47.4%) pre-eclampsia defined broadly. The broad (vs. restrictive) definition had higher sensitivity but lower specificity and classification accuracy for all outcomes but severe hypertension (Table 1). Conclusion Superimposed pre-eclampsia broadly defined can better identify true cases of risk in hypertensive pregnancy, but the potential harm of increasing false positives requires contextualisation. Table 1 https://www.dropbox.com/s/eqnuo9d0vs0sl1j/CHIPS%20%20superimposed%20PET%20Table%201.docx?dl=0 Correct class (correct classification), sens (sensitivity), spec (specificity)

The Hippocampus in Depression: More Than the Sum of Its Parts? Advanced Hippocampal Substructure Segmentation in Depression

BackgroundHippocampal volume reduction is the most replicated finding in neuroimaging studies of major depressive disorder (MDD). Varying hippocampal volume definition is a well-established problem in this field. Given that hippocampal function can be mapped onto anatomically defined substructures and that detailed examination of substructure volumes is now possible, we examined different hippocampal composite measures in MDD to look for hippocampal markers of MDD. MethodsMagnetic resonance imaging brain scans were compared between 80 patients with a range of MDD duration and 83 healthy control subjects. High-resolution T1-weighted and T2-weighted–fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance images were examined using the automated hippocampal substructure module in FreeSurfer 6.0. Between-group volumetric assessments were performed at substructure and composite substructures levels. ResultsPatients with MDD showed a bilateral pattern of volume reduction in principal hippocampal substructures: the cornu ammonis (CA1–CA4), dentate gyrus, and subiculum. Changes were more pronounced on the left of these structures and in recurrent depression. CA2 to CA4 were the only substructures reduced in first-presentation depression. Overall changes were most marked in the left CA1, and CA1 volume was a predictor of illness duration. ConclusionsHippocampal involvement in MDD is confined to principal substructures only. Differences between patients with MDD and healthy control subjects increased with progressively restricted hippocampal definitions, with the left CA1 emerging as a potential marker of MDD. Changes were more extensive in patients with recurrent, as opposed to first-presentation, MDD, suggesting a hippocampal disease process. These findings identify core hippocampal regions in the pathology of MDD, suggesting a potential marker of disease progression in MDD.

Association of depression with mortality in an elderly treated hypertensive population

Data from 6,083 hypertensive patients aged ≥65 years enrolled in the Second Australian National Blood Pressure study were used. Participants were followed for a median of 10.8 years (including 4.1 years in-trial) and classified into: "no depression," "pre-existing" and "incident" depression groups based on either being "diagnosed with depressive disorders" and/or "treated with an anti-depressant drug" at baseline or during in-trial period. Further, we redefined "depression" restricted to presence of both conditions for sensitivity analyses. For the current study, end-points were all-cause and any cardiovascular mortality. 313 (5%) participants had pre-existing depression and a further 916 (15%) participants developed depression during the trial period (incidence 4% per annum). Increased (hazard-ratio, 95% confidence-interval) all-cause mortality was observed among those with either pre-existing (1.23, 1.01-1.50; p = 0.03) or incident (1.26, 1.12-1.41; p < 0.001) depression compared to those without. For cardiovascular mortality, a 24% increased risk (1.24, 1.05-1.47; p = 0.01) was observed among those with incident depression. The sensitivity analyses, using the restricted depression definition showed similar associations. Incident depression was associated with being female, aged ≥75 years, being an active smoker at study entry, and developing new diabetes during the study period. This elderly cohort had a high incidence of depression irrespective of their randomised antihypertensive regimen. Both pre-existing and incident depression were associated with increased mortality.

Comparing REM- and NREM-Related Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Jordan: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that includes an intermittent mechanical obstruction of the upper airway during sleep, which can occur either during rapid eye movement (REM) phase or non-REM (NREM) phase. In this study, we aim to evaluate the differences in demographic and polysomnographic features between REM- and NREM-related OSA in a Jordanian sample, using both the broad and the restricted definitions of REM-related OSA. All patients who were referred due to clinical suspicion of OSA and underwent sleep study were screened. We included patients with a diagnosis of OSA who had Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) greater than or equal to five. We classified patients into REM-related OSA according to either the broad definition (AHIREM/AHINREM ≥ 2) or the strict definition (AHIREM > 5 and AHINREM < 5 with a total REM sleep duration of at least 30 minutes), and patients with AHIREM/AHINREM less than two were classified as NREM-related OSA. A total of 478 patients were included in this study with a mean age of 55.3 years (±12.6). According to the broad definition of REM-related OSA, 86 (18%) of OSA patients were classified as having REM-related OSA compared to only 13 (2.7%) patients according to the strict definition. Significant differences were found between both NREM-related OSA and REM-related OSA according to the broad and to the strict definitions for arousal index (p < 0.001 and p < 0.032), respectively, duration of saturation below 90% (p < 0.001 for both), and saturation nadir (p < 0.036 and p < 0.013), respectively. No significant differences were found between this group and other OSA patients regarding age, BMI, ESS, and snoring. Our study showed that the stricter the definition for REM-related OSA, the milder the associated clinical changes.

Onchocerca volvulus/Loa loa co-infection in rural communities of southeast Nigeria-Implication for ivermectin therapy

Background: Ivermectin therapy for onchocerciasis poses a great danger to health in areas that are co-endemic with Loa loa. Individuals with high microfilarial loads of Loa loa are at increased risk of neurologic serious adverse (SAE) events following ivermectin treatment against onchocerciasis. RAPLOA (Rapid Assessment Procedure for loiasis), is a very useful tool to identify areas at potential risk of Loa loa post ivermectin treatment encephalopathy. Several rural communities in Ebonyi state are edemic for onchocerciasis with suspected cases of loaisis. Ivermectin distribution in going on. Methods & Materials: The survey was carried out from 29th April to 16th May, 2015 using the standard procedure as outlined in the Guidelines for the Rapid Assessment of Loa loa. Fifty-seven villages in 13 local government areas of Ebonyi state, southeast Nigeria were covered. The Rapid Assessment Procedure for loiasis was based on the restricted definition of the eye worm; the past experience of eye worm, confirmed by a photograph of Loa loa adult worm in the white part of the eye and with the duration of the most recent episode being between 1 to 7 days The questionnaires were administered in the English language, pidgin English, and the local dialect and where necessary, interpreters from the community assisted in the interview process according to the RAPLOA guidelines. Results: Out of the 57 villages surveyed, 11 exceeded the 40% prevalence. They are as follows: Ohofia Agba, Ishielu – 55%, Okpoto, Ishielu - 45%, Agodo, Ohaukwu - 42.5%, Omocha Emezam Amoffia, Ohaukwu - 47.5%, Ndierukwu, Izzi - 51.3%, Ndiokpoto, Izzi - 45%, Ndiaja Ndiagu Okpoitumo, Abakaliki - 43.8%, Afikpo, Ivo - 43.8%, Ezeigwu Itim, Afikpo North - 50%, Okpo Ezi, Afikpo South - 51.3%, Unwana, Afikpo North- 41.3% respectively.These endemic villages are distributed in 7 out of the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi state. They are; Ishielu, Ohaukwu, Izzi, Abakaliki, Ivo, Afikpo North, and Afikpo South Conclusion: Sensitization/mobilization was found to be poor in some places. Adequate mobilization is critical to the success of a survey of this nature and must be seen to have been achieved before embarking on the survey.

Does Albinism Fit Within the Legal Definition of Disability in the Employment Context? A Comparative Analysis of the Judicial Interpretation of Disability under the SA and the US Non-Discrimination Laws

South Africans with albinism are among the most marginalised and vulnerable citizens yet very little attention is paid to protecting them from human rights violations. There have been several calls by people with albinism in South Africa to be classified as disabled. The question of whether albinism is classified as a disability or not is a controversial legal one, which does not always have a straightforward answer. A literature search indicates that in South Africa no comprehensive and analytical study has been carried out on the subject of albinism and disability, whereas this has already been addressed in court cases in the United States of America. This paper anticipates addressing this gap within a legal perspective. The objective of such an analysis is to understand the construction of disability under the Employment Equity Act in order to shed light on whether people with albinism qualify for the protection, which is afforded to people with disabilities in the work place. Foreign case law and international human rights law could shed new light on this longstanding grey area or stimulate the development of novel legal analytical strategies. This paper reviews the nature of disability claims in the workplace on grounds of albinism in the United States context, including factors contributing to disability claims; assessing the degree of impairment and the guidelines in assessing albinism related disability. Prior to this discussion, the paper explores the current working definition of disability in South Africa, which stems from the IMATU case, which relied significantly on a foreign precedent; the Sutton v United Airlines case as there was no indigenous precedent in South Africa to fall back on. It will be argued that the Sutton v United Airlines decision, referred to in the IMATU case is based on an insufficiently inclusive definition of disability. Specific cases that relied on the Sutton v United Airlines decision as a persuasive authority in determining whether albinism is a disability or not, will also be examined. While the United States of America has struck down the decision in the Sutton v United Airlines and amended its legislation to include a broader and less restrictive definition of disability, which includes present as well as past conditions and a subjective component of perceived disability, the South African definition of disability still remains narrow and less inclusive. The United States of America's amended legislation does not contain an exhaustive definition of disability; rather, an equality-based framework was chosen which considers changing biomedical, social and technological developments. This new definition highlights the fact that the emphasis must be on whether discrimination occurred rather than adherence to a strict definition of disability. Such a framework of disability includes a socio-political aspect, which places emphasis on human dignity, respect and the right to equality. Against this background, the comparative analysis raises specific issues that deserve attention, in particular that the unique disadvantages and negative stereotyping suffered by people with albinism should be recognised as unlawful conduct against people with disabilities as defined by legislation. Put differently, the discussion calls for a broader approach to viewing disability, which includes both a social and a human rights perspective. In taking the position that albinism related discrimination is socially constructed, the article also explores the mandate of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in as far as it relates to the social construction of disability. The paper argues that the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities affords a direction for an analysis of the discrimination faced by persons with albinism.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Real option, idiosyncratic risk, and corporate investment: Evidence from Taiwan family firms

Using a Taiwan dataset with restrictive family definitions, we examine the relation between family presence and corporate investment policy. Our analysis centers on two incentives that potentially lead to differences in investment policy between family firms and nonfamily firms: family owners' risk aversion and their real option to invest. Our findings indicate that family firms devote significantly more resources to total investment activity and R&D projects than nonfamily firms; and the investment policy appears to be driven by the significantly stronger relation between total investment and idiosyncratic risk for families with more real options (i.e., investment opportunities). Our robustness tests using IV-3SLS regressions provide further support of the real option argument. Further testing indicates that family firms receive more patents/patent citations per R&D dollar than nonfamily firms; suggesting that active family control (holding top management position) may explain the higher R&D efficiency associated with family firms. To our knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind to propose the real option argument to explain the relation between family presence and firm investment policy.

A Qualitative Study for Perceptions Toward Successful Aging Among Older Korean Immigrants in the United States

A qualitative study was designed as an attempt to overcome the limitations of previous studies of successful aging, which included biased sample population, ignorance of subjective perception of successful aging, and a restrictive definition. The purpose of this study was to explore older immigrants’ perceptions toward successful aging and to indicate the important predictors to determine successful aging. In addition, this study aimed to identify significant factors influencing willingness to become successful agers among older immigrants in the United Sates. The research design was a cross-sectional key informant interview. One hundred and two (N=102) older Koreans in Los Angeles, CA, participated in this study. Interestingly, their children’s successful life was one of the heavily influential factors to become a successful ager among them. Implications are directed to social work researchers and practitioners to help educate the ethnic older adults in the community on the social and behavioral importance of the positive aspects of aging such as successful aging and healthy aging to increase the chance of longevity.

Biomarker enhanced risk prediction for development of AKI after cardiac surgery

BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) is a common post-cardiac surgery complication and influences patient morbidity and prognosis. This study was designed to identify preoperative candidate urine biomarkers in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.MethodsA prospective cohort study of adults undergoing cardiac surgery at increased risk for AKI at a single hospital between July 2010 and September 2012 was performed. The primary outcome was the development of AKI, defined as an absolute serum creatinine (SCr) level increase ≥ 0.5 mg/dL or a ≥ 50% relative increase within 72 h of surgery. A secondary outcome was development of AKI defined by Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO). Urine collected by voiding within 4 h prior to surgery was used for proteomic analysis and confirmatory enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) studies. Biomarkers were tested for AKI-prediction using Cox and Snell R2, area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC), and percent of corrected classifications. To evaluate the added effect of each candidate biomarker on AKI discrimination, receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves, integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), and net reclassification improvement (NRI) were calculated.ResultsForty-seven of 755 patients met screening criteria including 15 with AKI. Proteomic analysis identified 29 proteins with a significant ≥2-fold change. Confirmatory ELISA measurements of five candidate markers showed urinary complement factor B (CFB) and histidine rich glycoprotein (HRG) concentrations were significantly increased in patients with AKI. By multivariate analysis, NRI, and IDI the addition of CFB and HRG to the standard clinical assessment significantly improved risk prediction for the primary outcome. Only HRG was a significant predictor in the 21 patients with AKI defined by KDIGO criteria.ConclusionsPre-operative urine measurement of CFB or HRG significantly enhanced the current post-surgery AKI risk stratification for more restrictive definition of AKI. HRG, but not CFB or clinical risk stratification, predicted AKI defined by KDIGO. The ability of these biomarkers to predict risk for dialysis-requiring AKI or death could not be reliably assessed in our study due to a small number of patients with either outcome.

Airport efficiency in Pakistan - A Data Envelopment Analysis with weight restrictions

This paper investigates 12 major airports in Pakistan for potential cost inefficiencies. We identify inefficiencies by benchmarking the productive performance of airports using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and data for 2012. To improve the ability of DEA to differentiate performance levels, we impose restrictions on the possible weights of inputs and outputs in the DEA procedure. The definition of these weight restrictions is based on additional information on feasible production trade-offs and relative input prices. To the best of our knowledge, this paper provides the first application of predefined weight restrictions in a DEA analysis of airport efficiency. The results suggest that there are cost inefficiencies at several airports, which are mainly caused by overstaffing and overinvestment in capacity. Furthermore, we find that the operational scale of most airports is inefficiently small, so that increases in traffic will result in declining unit costs.

Identifying Algorithms to Improve the Accuracy of Unverified Diagnosis Codes for Birth Defects.

We identified algorithms to improve the accuracy of passive surveillance programs for birth defects that rely on administrative diagnosis codes for case ascertainment and in situations where case confirmation via medical record review is not possible or is resource prohibitive. We linked data from the 2009-2011 Florida Birth Defects Registry, a statewide, multisource, passive surveillance program, to an enhanced surveillance database with selected cases confirmed through medical record review. For each of 13 birth defects, we calculated the positive predictive value (PPV) to compare the accuracy of 4 algorithms that varied case definitions based on the number of diagnoses, medical encounters, and data sources in which the birth defect was identified. We also assessed the degree to which accuracy-improving algorithms would affect the Florida Birth Defects Registry's completeness of ascertainment. The PPV generated by using the original Florida Birth Defects Registry case definition (ie, suspected cases confirmed by medical record review) was 94.2%. More restrictive case definition algorithms increased the PPV to between 97.5% (identified by 1 or more codes/encounters in 1 data source) and 99.2% (identified in >1 data source). Although PPVs varied by birth defect, alternative algorithms increased accuracy for all birth defects; however, alternative algorithms also resulted in failing to ascertain 58.3% to 81.9% of cases. We found that surveillance programs that rely on unverified diagnosis codes can use algorithms to dramatically increase the accuracy of case finding, without having to review medical records. This can be important for etiologic studies. However, the use of increasingly restrictive case definition algorithms led to a decrease in completeness and the disproportionate exclusion of less severe cases, which could limit the widespread use of these approaches.

The Contested Relationship Between Paid Work and Women’s Empowerment: Empirical Analysis from Bangladesh

The debate about the empowerment potential of women’s access to labour market opportunities is a long-standing one but it has taken on fresh lease of life with the increased feminization of paid work in the context of economic liberalization. Contradictory viewpoints reflect differences in how empowerment itself is understood as well as variations in the cultural meanings and social acceptability of different kinds of paid work. Research on this issue in the Bangladesh context has not been able to address these questions because it tends to use very restricted definitions of work and narrow conceptualizations of empowerment. This paper uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative data from Bangladesh to explore this debate, distinguishing between different categories of work and using measures of women’s empowerment which have been explicitly designed to capture the specificities of local patriarchal constraints.

Methodological challenges when evaluating potential off-label prescribing of drugs using electronic health care databases: A case study of dabigatran etexilate in Europe

To report and discuss estimated prevalence of potential off-label use and associated methodological challenges using a case study of dabigatran. Observational, cross-sectional study using 3 databases with different types of clinical information available: Cegedim Strategic Data Longitudinal Patient Database (CSD-LPD), France (cardiologist panel, n=1706; general practitioner panel, n=2813; primary care data); National Health Databases, Denmark (n=28619; hospital episodes and dispensed ambulatory medications); and Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD), UK (linkable to Hospital Episode Statistics [HES], n=2150; not linkable, n=1285; primary care data plus hospital data for HES-linkable patients). August 2011 to August 2015. Two definitions were used to estimate potential off-label use: a broad definition of on-label prescribing using codes for disease indication (eg, atrial fibrillation [AF]), and a restrictive definition excluding patients with conditions for which dabigatran is not indicated (eg, valvular AF). Prevalence estimates under the broad definition ranged from 5.7% (CPRD-HES) to 34.0% (CSD-LPD) and, under the restrictive definition, from 17.4% (CPRD-HES) to 44.1% (CSD-LPD). For the majority of potential off-label users, no diagnosis potentially related to anticoagulant use was identified. Key methodological challenges were the limited availability of detailed clinical information, likely leading to overestimation of off-label use, and differences in the information available, which may explain the disparate prevalence estimates across data sources. Estimates of potential off-label use should be interpreted cautiously due to limitations in available information. In this context, CPRD HES-linkable estimates are likely to be the most accurate.

Transmedia Theory’s Author Discourse and Its Limitations

Transmedia Theory’s Author Discourse and Its Limitations

Understanding the Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Men's Risk Behavior: Protocol for a Mixed-Methods Study.

BackgroundChildhood sexual abuse (CSA) remains a critical public health issue among black and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM), as it is associated with multiple negative outcomes including substance misuse, poor mental health, revictimization, and high-risk sexual behavior. Most CSA research with MSM relies on quantitative assessment that often precludes consideration of cultural variations in how formative sexual experiences are understood and is based on inconsistent or overly restrictive definitions of abuse, and therefore may fail to detect certain abusive experiences (eg, those involving female perpetrators), which can have harmful health consequences if they remain unrecognized.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to overcome existing limitations in the literature by drawing on perspectives of black and Latino MSM and men who have sex with men and women (MSMW), as well as relevant service providers to better understand the role of, and the need to include, sexual abuse histories (eg, CSA) in treatment and counseling settings, with the long-term goal of improving assessment and health outcomes.MethodsWe will conduct mixed-methods interviews, framed by an intersectionality approach, with 80 black and Latino men (40 MSM and 40 MSMW) in New York City (NYC), exploring appraisals of their formative sexual experiences, including those described as consensual but meeting criteria for CSA. We will also interview 30 local service providers representing substance abuse treatment, mental health care, and HIV prevention and outreach.ResultsThe study was launched in May 2017.ConclusionsThis formative research will inform testable approaches to assessing and incorporating sexual abuse history into substance abuse treatment and other health and mental health services used by men with such histories.

Characterization of Urothelial Cancer Circulating Tumor Cells with a Novel Selection-Free Method

To investigate circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as biomarkers of urothelial carcinoma (UC). To date, the majority of work on this topic has utilized the CellSearch test, which has limited sensitivity due to reliance on positive selection for the cell surface protein epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). We used a novel selection-free method to enumerate and characterize CTCs across a range of UC stages. Blood samples from 38 patients (9 controls, 8 nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer [NMIBC], 12 muscle-invasive bladder cancer [MIBC], and 9 metastatic UC) were processed with the AccuCyte-CyteFinder system. Slides were stained for the white blood cell markers CD45 and CD66b and the epithelial markers EpCAM and pancytokeratin. CTCs were defined as any cytokeratin postive and white blood cell marker negative cell. Separately, the more restrictive CellSearch definition was applied, with the additional requirement of EpCAM positivity. The Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA test compared CTC counts by stage. Greater than or equal to 1 CTC was detected in 2 of 8 (25%) patients with NMIBC, 7 of 12 (58%) with MIBC, and 6of 9 (67%) with metastatic disease. No control had CTCs. Comparing CTC counts between groups, the only statistically significant comparison was between controls and patients with metastatic UC (P = .009). With EpCAM positivity as a CTC requirement, no CTCs were detected in any patient with NMIBC, and only 2 (17%) patients with MIBC had CTCs. CTCs tended to be larger in metastatic patients. CTCs were detected at all UC stages and exhibited phenotypic diversity of cell size and EpCAM expression. EpCAM negative CTCs that would be missed with the CellSearch test were detected in patients with NMIBC and patients with MIBC.

Shared Housing Arrangements in Germany-An Equitable Alternative to Long Term Care Services beyond Homes and Institutions?

Given the saliency of socio-demographic pressures, the highly restrictive definition of “need for care” characterizing the German long-term care system at its foundations in 1994 has since been subject to various expansionary reforms. This has translated into greater interest in innovative care models that provide more choice and flexibility to beneficiaries. One such model is ‘shared housing arrangements’ (“ambulant betreute Wohngemeinschaften”), where a small group of people rent private rooms, while sharing a common space, domestic support, and nursing care. Using interview and secondary data, this study examines the potential for such arrangements to provide an equitable alternative to care that is accessible to a larger population of beneficiaries than presently seen in Germany.

Defining Old-Growth Stand Characteristics in Fragmented Natural Landscapes: A Case Study of Old-Growth Pine in Florida (USA) State Parks

Despite historically dominating many landscapes of the southeastern United States, old-growth stands of southern pine (Pinus palustris, P. elliottii var. densa, P. elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii, P. echinata, and P. taeda) are extremely rare and have high ecological value, but may be underrepresented and mischaracterized due to small fragment size and restrictive definitions. Such misunderstanding is a barrier to future old-growth management and conservation. To quantify, characterize, and conserve these remnants, we conducted inventories for five species of old-growth southern pines on 16 sites across ∼44,110 forested ha managed by the Florida Park Service. We used characteristics of old-growth pines and forests from the literature to locate potential sites and assess status and threats. This inventory documented 4697.5 ha of old-growth southern pines in 16 parks throughout Florida. The median size stand we inventoried or included due to existing documentation is 121 ha, with stands as small as eight ha and as large as 2020 ha. Despite their small relative extent, these stands harbor rare, threatened, or endangered species and represent significant conservation areas in the region. A threat common to most of the old-growth stands in Florida State Parks is complications from reintroduction of prescribed fire following prolonged fire exclusion. Heavy fuel loading and invasion of off-site species has resulted in high post-fire mortality linked to both forest floor duff consumption and overstory crown consumption. Management measures are presented to improve conditions of old-growth southern pines in Florida State Parks, and have relevance to broader conservation efforts in the southeastern USA.

Lawful (Non-Jurisdictional) Restrictions of Citizens’ Rights Applied by the Executive Authorities

In administrative-law studies, limiting the rights of citizens is usually considered as a jurisdictional tool. The author analyzes the main characteristics of legal restrictions in administrative activity and concludes that the executive authorities can use restrictions to solve the current operational and executive tasks. Particular attention is drawn to the structural elements of legal restrictions (procedure, guarantees and compensation) that must be taken into account by the executive authorities in order to protect the rights and freedoms of citizens from unjustified restrictions. The compensation mechanism is considered as a mandatory consequence of the restrictions on the rights of citizens by the executive authorities to assist or perform public duties. The shortcomings of the legal regulation of the compensational mechanism are identified in the article. At the same time the author emphasizes the presence of the compensation elements within the administrative regimes that arise as a result of compliance with mandatory administrative requirements. The author’s definition of lawful restrictions of the rights of citizens applied by executive authorities is proposed.