bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A survey on perceived medication guide reading and comprehension ease among US adults
Authors: Jones Paul R , Santiago Jonas , Pearsall Bryon M , Chu Dan-My , Wolff Carolyn , Kearsley Aaron
Published: February 2024

Medication guides (MGs) provide patients with important information about certain prescription drugs to help them take these drugs safely. We surveyed US residents about their perceptions of MG readability and understandability. We randomly sampled 5204 US residents (age 18+) from Ipsos’s KnowledgePanel to complete a two-part survey. Only respondents who reported receiving an MG with their prescription drugs (n = 3852) completed part 2, which included two key items: How easy to [(1)read/(2)understand] are the MGs that you have received from a pharmacy along with your prescription medicines? (1 = Very easy, 5 = Very difficult; reverse-coded). Health literacy (HL) and demographic data were also collected. After weighting our data, we found that 85% of respondents who reported receiving an MG perceived this information as ‘very easy’ (27.3%), ‘somewhat easy’ (28.3%) or ‘about average’ (29.3%) to read. Eighty-seven percent of respondents who reported receiving an MG perceived it as ‘very easy’ (27.6%), ‘somewhat easy’ (30.2%) or ‘about average’ (29.5%) to understand. ANOVAs revealed higher average perceived MG reading and comprehension ease scores among respondents presumed to have adequate versus inadequate HL (ps ≤ 0.0006). Younger or less-educated respondents and non-Hispanic Blacks perceived MGs as easier to read and understand, on average, than their counterparts (ps ≤ 0.0001). Many of these relationships remained intact in models predicting perceived MG reading and comprehension ease (ps ≤ 0.001). Adjusted R2 values across models were small, however (≤0.06). Our findings suggest most US residents (18+) who received MGs perceived them to be ‘about average’ to ‘very easy’ to read and understand.
Vcp overexpression and leucine supplementation extend lifespan and ameliorate neuromuscular junction phenotypes of a SOD1G93A-ALS mouse model
Authors: Huang Tzyy-Nan , Shih Yu-Tzu , Yen Tzu-Li , Hsueh Yi-Ping
Published: February 2024

Many genes with distinct molecular functions have been linked to genetically heterogeneous amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), including SuperOxide Dismutase 1 (SOD1) and Valosin-Containing Protein (VCP). SOD1 converts superoxide to oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. VCP acts as a chaperon to regulate protein degradation and synthesis and various other cellular responses. Although the functions of these two genes differ, in the current report we show that overexpression of wild-type VCP in mice enhances lifespan and maintains the size of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) of both male and female SOD1G93A mice, a well-known ALS mouse model. Although VCP exerts multiple functions, its regulation of ER formation and consequent protein synthesis has been shown to play the most important role in controlling dendritic spine formation and social and memory behaviors. Given that SOD1 mutation results in protein accumulation and aggregation, it may direct VCP to the protein degradation pathway, thereby impairing protein synthesis. Since we previously showed that the protein synthesis defects caused by Vcp deficiency can be improved by leucine supplementation, to confirm the role of the VCP-protein synthesis pathway in SOD1-linked ALS, we applied leucine supplementation to SOD1G93A mice and, similar to Vcp overexpression, we found that it extends SOD1G93A mouse lifespan. In addition, the phenotypes of reduced muscle strength and fewer NMJs of SOD1G93A mice are also improved by leucine supplementation. These results support the existence of crosstalk between SOD1 and VCP and suggest a critical role for protein synthesis in ASL. Our study also implies a potential therapeutic treatment for ALS.
Safety and Immunogenicity of an mRNA-Based RSV Vaccine Including a 12-Month Booster in a Phase 1 Clinical Trial in Healthy Older Adults
Authors: Shaw Christine A , Essink Brandon , Harper Charles , Mithani Runa , Kapoor Archana , Dhar Rakesh , Wilson Lauren , Guo Ruiting , Panozzo Catherine A , Wilson Eleanor , Simorellis Alana K , Reuter Caroline , Stoszek Sonia K , Chen Grace L , Das Rituparna , Goswami Jaya
Published: February 2024

Background

An mRNA-based respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine, mRNA-1345, is under clinical investigation to address RSV disease burden in older adults.

Methods

Based on a randomized, observer-blind, placebo-controlled design, this phase 1 dose-ranging study evaluated the safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of mRNA-1345 in adults aged 65 to 79 years. Participants were randomized to receive 1 dose of mRNA-1345 (12.5, 25, 50, 100, or 200 µg) or placebo and matched mRNA-1345 booster or placebo at 12 months.

Results

Overall, 298 participants received the first injection and 247 received the 12-month booster injection. mRNA-1345 was generally well tolerated after both injections, with the most frequently reported solicited adverse reactions being injection site pain, fatigue, headache, arthralgia, and myalgia. Reactogenicity was higher after the booster injection but with severity, time to onset, and duration similar to the first injection. A single mRNA-1345 injection boosted RSV-A and RSV-B neutralizing antibody titers and prefusion F binding antibody (preF bAb) concentrations at 1 month (geometric mean fold rises: RSV-A, 10.2–16.5; RSV-B, 5.3–12.5; preF bAb, 7.2–12.1). RSV antibody levels remained above baseline through 12 months, indicating immune persistence. A 12-month booster injection also increased RSV-A and RSV-B neutralizing antibody titers and preF bAb concentrations; titers after booster injection were numerically lower than those after the first dose, with overlapping 95% CIs.

Conclusions

mRNA-1345 was well tolerated and immunogenic following a single injection and a 12-month booster.

Clinical Trials Registration

NCT04528719 (ClinicalTrials.gov).
The New Creatinine-Based Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) 2021 Equation: Potential Impact on Screening for Chronic Kidney Disease in an Asymptomatic Black African Population
Authors: Omuse Geoffrey , Maina Daniel , Sokwala Ahmed
Published: February 2024

Background

In 2021, a new Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology (CKD-EPI) Collaboration equation was introduced that excluded race correction. We set out to compare estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) determined using the creatinine-based CKD-EPI 2009 and 2021 equations and the reclassification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) eGFR staging to explore the potential ramifications of adopting the 2021 equation on reported eGFR and CKD staging.

Methods

We analyzed secondary data previously utilized to determine reference intervals among Black African individuals residing in urban towns in Kenya. Serum creatinine was measured using a standardized modified Jaffé kinetic method on a Beckman AU5800 analyzer. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using both the 2009 and 2021 CKD-EPI creatinine equations. Classification of CKD based on eGFR was performed using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) practice guidelines.

Results

Using 533 study samples, the median eGFR was highest when determined using the race-corrected CKD-EPI 2009 equation. The CKD-EPI 2021 equation yielded a median eGFR that was similar to the non-race–corrected CKD-EPI 2009 equation. The race-corrected CKD-EPI 2009 equation classified 93.6% of participants into CKD stage G1 compared with 85.6% by the CKD-EPI 2021 equation. The CKD-EPI 2021 equation classified 14.3% of participants into CKD stage G2 compared to 6.4% by the race-corrected CKD-EPI 2009 equation.

Conclusions

The CKD-EPI 2021 equation gave a comparable eGFR to the non-race–corrected CKD-EPI 2009 equation and its implementation in laboratories reporting eGFR in Kenya will help in identifying patients with an appropriate decrease in renal function.
Cardiovascular problems
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

Cardiovascular disease is associated with acute changes requiring emergency responses. In people with life-limiting illnesses, the same urgency is required when evaluating the options that should be discussed with the person and their family. The range of problems more often relate to comorbid illnesses than the life-limiting illness itself, given the risk factor that many people bring to their life-limiting illness. Simultaneously evaluating the person’s clinical condition, managing their symptoms, and discussing options for investigations and definitive treatments typify the challenges of clinical care for people with life-limiting illnesses.
Renal and metabolic disorders
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

Renal impairment is relatively prevalent in people with life-limiting illnesses. Reduced hydration and the many medications prescribed account for much of the renal impairment seen late in life. Other frequently encountered metabolic disorders include hypo- and hypernatraemia, and hypo- and hyperkalaemia. Although aggressive supportive care measures can be implemented, care should be taken to understand a person’s overall prognosis, and the wishes that they have for their future care.
Endocrine problems
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

Endocrine problems are often long term, but need considered management when someone is become frailer and losing weight late in life. Managing these difficult transitions will minimize the risks of acute changes that become symptomatic. Even with optimal management, there will be times that there are changes in the well-being of a person because of endocrine dysfunction. A low threshold for considering endocrine sources for otherwise unexplained changes or symptoms is often productive, especially those with gradual onset.
Neurology
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

Any neurological change is frightening. In the face of advanced illness, it is especially frightening with thoughts of whether this is the beginning of the end. History and physical examination that are sensitive to the fears and concerns of the person with the life-limiting illness are critical when there are neurological changes. The urgency of response is dictated by the speed with which irreversible damage can be done to neural tissue. Embolic stroke is now a neurological emergency given the opportunity to manage the clot and restore normal blood flow. Optimizing functional outcomes is critical to good care for neurological changes, even late in life.
Orthopaedic disorders
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

Orthopaedic problems require basic first aid of immobilizing above and below any fracture of a long bone and, with all fractures, analgesia while issues are being investigated. Careful imaging where a fracture is suspected will often disclose pathology that may not, at first, be apparent. Even in late-stage disease, surgical fixation may be indicated as the best way to palliate a fracture.
Genitourological disorders
Authors: Currow David , Clark Katherine , Kleinig Paul
Published: February 2024

People are at risk of urinary tract obstruction, predominantly of the lower urinary tract. Urinary retention is distressing and painful, and needs to be addressed rapidly. Sepsis, often occult, should be considered in people with delirium or being otherwise unwell without an obvious cause.
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome Versus Serotonin Syndrome
Authors: Gentry Jasmine , Lippert Katie
Published: February 2024

Serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) are iatrogenic syndromes that arise from the use of serotonin modulators and psychotropic drugs, respectively. Serotonin syndrome presents as mental status changes, autonomic nervous system disturbances, neurologic manifestations, and hyperthermia. Similarly, NMS presents as muscle rigidity, hyperpyrexia, mental status changes, and autonomic instability. Both are associated with high morbidity and potentially high mortality, making the diagnosis and discernment between the two critical. As clinical diagnoses, the constellation of features, associated offending agents, and progression of each syndrome over time are the keys to differentiating the two. Furthermore, the stabilization and treatment of both is focused on the management of an elevated temperature along with its ensuing effects on various organ systems.
To Chelate or Not to Chelate: When Too Much Iron Is Too Much
Authors: Hallett T. Christy
Published: February 2024

Iron is a transitional metal that plays an essential role in body processes. The GI tract regulates iron absorption. In overdoses, iron can be absorbed down a concentration gradient without hindrance due to the cytotoxic effects on the GI epithelium. Symptoms are unlikely to occur with ingestions of elemental iron less than 20 mg/kg. Initial symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Iron overdoses inhibit oxidative phosphorylation and cause metabolic acidosis. Besides supportive care, treatment can include decontamination with whole-bowel irrigation, trending serum iron levels, and chelation therapy with IV deferoxamine at serum levels greater than 500 mcg/dL as well as for those with systemic symptoms of hypotension, multiorgan failure, or lethargy. Patients requiring prolonged deferoxamine therapy are at risk of Yersinia enterocolitica sepsis.
Beyond Benzos: Alcohol and Sedative-Hypnotic Withdrawal
Authors: Suen Kyle
Published: February 2024

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is frequently encountered in EDs and managed by healthcare providers in the hospital. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can vary in severity; milder cases can be managed outside a healthcare facility, and more serious cases should be managed in the hospital. Severity of alcohol withdrawal syndrome can be determined using severity scales. Serious manifestations of alcohol withdrawal syndrome can occur, such as alcohol withdrawal seizures and delirium tremens. Management of alcohol withdrawal syndrome involves administration of benzodiazepines, and dosing depends on clinical severity. Alcohol withdrawal syndrome may become resistant to first-line medications used, and additional medications may be required to prevent morbidity and mortality. Phenobarbital is recommended for benzodiazepine-resistant alcohol withdrawal syndrome and may also be used in delirium tremens.
Not So Essential Oils: Essential Oil Ingestions
Authors: Gurkha Ashima Goyal , Gurkha Dhritiman
Published: February 2024

Essential oils are easily available plant-based products purported to be beneficial for varied medicinal and nonmedicinal purposes. They can have serious clinical implications if they are used or consumed inappropriately. Owing to easy accessibility and inviting fragrances, children can be unintentionally exposed. It is important to be familiar with and recognize specific toxidromes and clinical presentations associated with commonly available essential oils. Complications may range from nausea and vomiting to aspiration pneumonia and seizures. Given their unique physiology, children are prone to early and significant decompensation. It is important to keep essential oils in the differential alongside common clinical etiologies, especially when clinical history and physical examinations suggest a possible toxic exposure. Involving poison control early in the patient’s course is critical to help stabilize the patient, for treatment recommendations for specific agents, and to help determine the most appropriate disposition.
The Rummy Rum Rums: Alcohol Intoxication
Authors: Horton Destiny , Punja Mohan
Published: February 2024

A primary alcohol, an alkyl alcohol, and a volatile organic compound; when put into such terms, it would seem that ethanol, more commonly known as alcohol, would not be particularly appealing to society. However, it is one of the most abused substances in the world, with an estimated 3 million deaths globally ascribed to its consumption. In the United States, close to 100,000 people per year die from alcohol-related causes. As a drug, ethanol is unique in that healthcare providers will care for many patients suffering from acute and chronic complications, yet this drug is legal in most countries and is also used by millions of people across the world as part of a culture of entertainment, cuisine, or personal use in the home. With a drug used so frequently with such a high prevalence of complications, what should the clinician expect when a patient who has consumed alcohol is brought into the emergency department and how will their care be managed? This chapter discusses pathophysiology, toxicology, and general management of the inebriated patient and some of the complications of frequent alcohol use.
The Mu-Agonist Blues: Opioid Overdose and Withdrawal
Authors: Ehrhardt Tori , Steck Alaina
Published: February 2024

The increasing prevalence of opioid use disorder and widespread effects on multiple levels makes this an area to which increasing attention must be paid. Opioid overdose and withdrawal are commonly seen in patients visiting the ED, making an appropriate level of suspicion necessary for prompt identification and initiation of treatment. Reversal of overdose with an opioid antagonist to reestablish respiratory drive is definitive treatment; however understanding nuances to its administration as well as options for continued supportive care are integral to the practice of ED providers. Likewise, medical options for management of opioid withdrawal should be understood and utilized appropriately. Finally, the continuation of care for patients who are motivated to seek help is important to initiate in the ED setting.
Don’t Poke the Snake: The Do’s and Don’ts of Snake Bite Management
Authors: Lippert Katie , da Silva Joshua
Published: February 2024

There are two primary families of venomous snakes found in the United States: the Crotalidae and Elapidae. Snakes in the Crotalidae family are responsible for the majority of the snakebites in the United States every year. There are many proposed theories on how to deal with snakebites in the field, including electroshocks, suctioning the venom out, and attempts at incision and drainage. The best field treatment is to keep the victim calm, immobilize the limb (without using a tourniquet), and transfer as expeditiously as possible to the closest hospital. Upon arrival to the hospital the patient must be evaluated for signs of envenomation; if identified, antivenom should be administered. Further studies are needed with regards to long-term considerations following snakebite and antivenom treatment.
You Are Barking Up the Wrong Scorpion: Bark Scorpion Envenomations
Authors: Holt Karl , de Olano Jonathan
Published: February 2024

Scorpion stings are a common complaint in southern regions of North America and can present with dramatic symptoms, especially in the pediatric population. Because timely intervention is vital, clinicians must recognize the unique constellation of symptoms caused by bark scorpion venom while maintaining an appropriately wide differential diagnosis. Key physical exam findings should raise the provider’s suspicions for envenomation while applicable bloodwork and prompt identification should follow. The mainstay of initial management is supportive and includes interventions such as IV opioids, benzodiazepines, and blood pressure-regulating agents. However, severe cases require a precise and time-sensitive antidote. Bark scorpion antivenom is specific, safe, and effective to impede the neurotoxins found in scorpion venom and should be considered early in these instances.
xkn: a semi-analytic framework for the modelling of kilonovae
Authors: Ricigliano Giacomo , Perego Albino , Borhanian Ssohrab , Loffredo Eleonora , Kawaguchi Kyohei , Bernuzzi Sebastiano , Lippold Lukas Chris
Published: February 2024

After GW170817, kilonovae have become of great interest for the astronomical, astrophysics, and nuclear physics communities due to their potential in revealing key information on the compact binary merger from which they emerge, such as the fate of the central remnant or the composition of the expelled material. Therefore, the landscape of models employed for their analysis is rapidly evolving, with multiple approaches being used for different purposes. In this paper, we present xkn, a semi-analytic framework that predicts and interprets the bolometric luminosity and the broad-band light curves of such transients. xkn models the merger ejecta structure accounting for different ejecta components and non-spherical geometries. In addition to light-curve models from the literature based on time-scale and random-walk arguments, it implements a new model, xkn-diff, which is grounded on a solution of the radiative transfer equation for homologously expanding material. In order to characterize the variety of the ejecta conditions, it employs time- and composition-dependent heating rates, thermalization efficiencies, and opacities. We compare xkn light curves with reference radiative transfer calculations, and we find that xkn-diff significantly improves over previous semi-analytic prescriptions. We view xkn as an ideal tool for extensive parameter estimation data analysis applications.
Lower access to kidney transplantation for women in France is not explained by comorbidities and social deprivation
Authors: Adoli Latame Komla , Couchoud Cécile , Chatelet Valérie , Lobbedez Thierry , Bayer Florian , Vabret Elsa , Jais Jean-Philippe , Daugas Eric , Vigneau Cécile , Bayat-Makoei Sahar
Published: February 2024

Background

Access to kidney transplantation (KT) remains challenging for patients with end-stage kidney disease. This study assessed women's access to KT in France by considering comorbidities and neighbourhood social deprivation.

Methods

All incident patients 18–85 years old starting dialysis in France between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2019 were included. Three outcomes were assessed: access to the KT waiting list after dialysis start, KT access after waitlisting and KT access after dialysis start. Cox and Fine–Gray models were used. Gender–European Deprivation Index and gender–age interactions were tested and analyses were performed among strata if required.

Results

A total of 29 395 patients were included (35% of women). After adjusting for social deprivation and comorbidities, women were less likely to be waitlisted at 1 year {adjusted hazard ratio [adjHR] 0.91 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87–0.96]} and 3 years [adjHR 0.87 (95% CI 0.84–0.91)] after dialysis initiation. This disparity concerned mainly women ≥60 years of age [adjHR 0.76 (95% CI 0.71–0.82) at 1 year and 0.75 (0.71–0.81) at 3 years]. Access to KT after 2 years of waitlisting was similar between genders. Access to KT was similar between genders at 3 years after dialysis start but decreased for women after 4 years [adjHR 0.93 (95% CI 0.88–0.99)] and longer [adjHR 0.90 (95% CI 0.85–0.96)] follow-up.

Conclusions

In France, women are less likely to be waitlisted and undergo KT. This is driven by the ≥60-year-old group and is not explained by comorbidities or social deprivation level.
Introduction
Authors: Duran Angelica , Issa Islam
Published: February 2024

Framed by a discussion of three music videos—by Eminem at the start, then Lana Del Rey and Gain at the end—this chapter surveys the network of literary and media studies in relation to Milton’s works. It argues that a global media studies lens enriches our appreciation of Milton’s texts and elucidates the existence of literary works beyond their words, thus advocating what its authors term remateriality. Through overviewing key themes in the chapters of the volume, this introduction highlights some of the trends that emerge from discussions of multimodal adaptations and intersemiotic translations of Milton’s works across borders and in diverse media.
Milton for Students
Authors: Currell David
Published: February 2024

This chapter presents the concept of a teaching and learning archive—a record of pedagogical materials and practices and of student engagement—and applies it to the history of Milton’s works in educational contexts, with special attention to its global and intermedial dimensions. The chapter begins with theoretical considerations touching on how a Milton teaching and learning archive can be conceived and studied before discussing two illustrative cases. The first is a student manuscript magazine, The Miltonian, produced early in the twentieth century at the Syrian Protestant College (now the American University of Beirut), the second a comparison of two online resources, SparkNotes and The John Milton Reading Room. These cases demonstrate clearly that Milton has left widespread and diverse traces in time and space and that research in this archive can productively complement and extend more familiar kinds of scholarly discourse and practice.
Madhusudan’s Miltonic Epic, the Meghnādbadh kābya
Authors: Dhar Amrita
Published: February 2024

This chapter examines the ways in which the nineteenth-century Bengali writer Michael Madhusudan Dutt inscribed themes and literary innovations from Milton’s Paradise Lost into his Bengali epic poem Meghnādbadh kābya [The Poem of the Slaying of Meghnad] (1861), a retelling of the Sanskrit epic Rāmāyaṇa. Madhusudan was so influenced by Milton that he took it upon himself to write the Miltonic epic of his language and age, while drawing on the classical tradition of the Indian subcontinent. He produced the Meghnādbadh kābya not as a derivation but as a profoundly generative Bengali in-habitation of Miltonic epic energies, as this chapter displays especially in its discussion of the male character Ravan and of the female character Pramila, who is entirely Madhusudan’s creation. The result was a landmark of Bengali and world literature, itself forever intertwining Milton with the vernacular Bengali legacy.
Quoting Milton in Musical Appropriations
Authors: Buhler Stephen M.
Published: February 2024

This chapter focuses on the reworking not only of Milton’s language into music but also of his messages. Musical composers have, over centuries, appropriated from Milton’s poetry, carefully selecting passages, sometimes celebrating his words, and sometimes turning them against his public stands. ‘A Pastoral Elegie’ (1648) is a pivotal composition by Henry Lawes, whose career had been distinguished by deferential settings. Here, Lawes moves decisively from the setting of texts to their appropriation, pressing Milton’s words into serving the Royalist cause. Georg Frideric Handel’s The Occasional Oratorio (1746) deploys Milton’s paraphrases of Psalm 81 and Psalm 136, along with passages from several other authors. Again, the cause is Royalist: a tribute to the constitutional monarchy of the Hanoverians. More recently, Milton has found himself again in diverse company, utilized for diverse purposes, in such works as Ralph Vaughan Williams’s Christmas cantata Hodie! (1953–4), Jocelyn Pook’s score for Michael Radford’s film of William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (2004), and Darkness Visible (2018) by Mumford and Sons.
Epilogue
Authors: Adlington Hugh
Published: February 2024

This epilogue considers the generative force of Milton’s writing and afterlife, reflecting on the nature of Milton’s cultural transmission, the motivations of those doing the transmitting, and the nature of Milton’s enduring appeal. It addresses some of the key themes and discussions of the volume as a whole, noting that Milton’s international presence exists across cultural history and geography, and contemplating the extent to which treatments of Milton in multiple media enable re-considerations and re-interpretations of the writer and his works. It concludes with a discussion of Milton’s enduring appeal, as an inspiration to other poets and writers, and to generations past, present, and future—across borders and media.
International Law and Democratic Backsliding
Authors: Ginsburg Tom
Published: February 2024

Increasingly, processes of democratic erosion and efforts to resist them are implicating international institutions, including courts. How should international tribunals confront an era of backsliding and democratic regression? David Caron’s view of the proper judicial role was drawn heavily from his experience in international arbitration, in which the central task of judges is to resolve the dispute before them on behalf of the parties. This chapter argues that in many adjudicative contexts, the argument that courts should limit themselves to their core task of dispute resolution would produce a jurisprudence that is ultimately ineffective and self-undermining. The chapter offers examples of how courts following that approach have both failed to protect core rights and empowered agents of democratic erosion. Instead, for regional courts with a human rights jurisdiction, a substantive jurisprudence that protects democracy as a system is called for. Democracy and dictatorship are not “disputants” but regime types whose survival depends on institutional configurations, as between which judicial “neutrality”, is counterproductive. Finally the chapter argues that Caron’s paradigm fits only a small part of the world of international adjudication.
The Cult of the Ṛgvedic Religion
Authors: Oberlies Thomas
Published: February 2024

Throughout its entire early history, the Vedic cult was aniconic. The fundamental difficulty this engenders—that of keeping the cult’s point of reference both plausible and authoritative—is solved in this instance through ritual epiphanies in which the gods are represented by mortals; specifically by the priests performing said rituals, who (as a rule) fulfill the functions of the gods they represent. In the earliest times, the various rituals were carried out by all members of the society, who took turns performing the individual offices of the ‘priests’, but the increasing complexity of the ritual led to the development of religious specialisation. This had the effect of consolidating the religion into a monopoly in the hands of just one group, the Brahmans, who were now professional priests. Because it is not a ‘temple religion’, and all of its gods—except those responsible for specific areas—have to be summoned (e.g. to the sacrifice), the word has enormous significance in the Ṛgvedic religion.
Tax reforms in Tanzania
Authors: Ulriksen Marianne S. , Katera Lucas , Msami Jamal
Published: February 2024

In this chapter, we ask where and how revenue providers engage with the government around tax reforms and whether the government may compromise on its initial proposal. We selected four cases to study revenue bargaining between government and different revenue providers (MPs, security forces, transport sector, and tourism sector). We describe in detail the bargaining strategies that revenue providers use, and we identify three arenas where revenue providers and government actors engage in bargaining. The public arena comprises few institutionalized spaces for dialogue, which makes engagements conflictual and compromise unlikely. In the bureaucratic and political arenas, where institutions allow for structured, repeated, and trusted relationships to develop, the revenue providers are more likely to push the government to compromise on the initial tax proposal. Hence, the fiscal outcomes are less than originally anticipated by the government. Moreover, tax reforms trigger better organization of revenue providers and the building of relationships between state and societal actors.
Environmentalism, or Barbarism
Authors: Mittiga Ross
Published: February 2024

This introductory chapter lays out the book’s central argument: that climate change threatens “political catastrophe”—i.e. a loss of the material conditions that make justice and stability possible—on a global scale, potentially within this century. Through examining a series of real-world examples, the chapter illustrates how extreme material scarcity, of the sort already being wrought by climate change, can undermine core liberal-democratic values and institutions, drive armed conflict, and precipitate collapse. Reflecting on these dismal outcomes underscores the urgent need for taking aggressive precautionary measures, while clarifying our moral and political obligations to that end. The chapter also speaks to the role of “radical hope” in confronting the climate crisis. It concludes with an outline of the structure and plan of the book.
Exiting Eden
Authors: Mittiga Ross
Published: February 2024

Mythical accounts of humanity’s descent from a blissful early age of natural abundance to one of agricultural toil are common to many cultures and religions. Curiously, the scientific literature on the Neolithic Revolution paints a similar picture of the transition from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies, albeit one attributed to natural forces rather than human frailty or the caprice of gods. This concluding chapter argues that contemporary, anthropogenic climate change may force a second “fall,” this time from the fecund stability of the Holocene to an era marked by extreme scarcity, conflict, and collapse. If we are to walk back from this precipice of despair—if we are to avert politically catastrophic climate change—we must commit ourselves both to unprecedented action and a radical rethinking of the political norms, practices, and institutions that brought us to this point.
Introduction
Authors: Shaffer Paul
Published: February 2024

Immiserizing Growth (IG) is about situations where economic growth does not reduce poverty. Empirically, it is the exception rather than the rule. Nevertheless, it is not an insignificant phenomenon, occurring between 10 and 35 per cent of the time depending on the dataset, definitions, and time periods used. Further, it has been underexamined, lost in the prevailing narrative that ‘growth is good for the poor’. The introductory chapter provides context for, and an overview of, the main themes pursued in subsequent chapters. It presents a number of analytical reasons which justify the focus on immiserizing growth even in the context of the empirically correct finding that ‘growth [on average] is good for the poor’. It concludes with a discussion of historical, theoretical, methodological, and empirical contributions of the book alongside caveats and limitations.
Historical Origins
Authors: Shaffer Paul
Published: February 2024

Historical context is provided in Chapter 3 through a discussion of theories of immiserizing growth propounded by Malthus, Ricardo, and Marx. Malthus focused on changes in the sectoral pattern of growth, in particular the shift from agriculture to manufacturing, whereas Ricardo directed attention to technological unemployment associated with the introduction of machinery. Marx developed Ricardo’s position into his notion of the industrial reserve army which he coupled with an account of falling wages (either absolute or relative) and worsening living conditions to comprise the general law of capitalist accumulation, ‘the accumulation of misery’. Similar themes recur in the contemporary literature on processes and mechanisms underlying immiserizing growth.
Contemporary Contributions
Authors: Shaffer Paul
Published: February 2024

Chapter 4 reviews a number of processes and mechanisms which serve to perpetuate existing poverty or to increase descents into poverty. It draws on literatures on poverty dynamics and inclusive growth, radical traditions of scholarship, and country case studies. The chapter culminates in a list of eight core categories of processes and mechanisms related to: (i) sectoral, spatial, or other dimensions of growth; (ii) poverty traps; (iii) public action or inaction; (iv) changes in relative prices or the terms of trade; (v) technological change; (vi) violence and conflict; (vii) dispossessions and indebtedness; and (viii) environmental degradation and ‘natural’ phenomena. A population group based on ethnicity, caste or indigeneity was flagged as disproportionately subject to intersecting processes and mechanisms of immiserizing growth. The chapter concludes with the development of an analytical framework that combines the eight key categories of processes and mechanisms with the conceptual framework based on the distinction between failed and malevolent inclusion.
Concepts, Terminology and Units
Authors: O’Grady K. , Fernandez G. Vallejo , Hirohata A.
Published: February 2024

This chapter reviews the basic concepts of magnetism and in particular the origin of magnetic poles, moments and fields and the forces to which they give rise are explained in simple terms along with terms such as magnetisation and fields of force. This is followed by a description of flux density and induction together with the concept of the magnetising field. A detailed description of the demagnetising field and demagnetising factors is presented along with the basic parameters defining a hysteresis loop in terms of M vs H and B vs H and the resulting susceptibility and permeability.
Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM)
Authors: O’Grady K. , Fernandez G. Vallejo , Hirohata A.
Published: February 2024

The principle of storing information in a solid state magnetic device is first described together with the principles and early designs of such a system which were implemented for a restricted range of applications. In particular third generation MRAM where again data is stored perpendicular to the plane of the film and is based on the phenomenon of spin transfer torque (STT) switching where a polarised spin current is used to switch small elements which are subsequently read by the incorporation of a spin tunnel junction within the dots is discussed. Potential future MRAM structures such as spin torque oscillators and switching by spin orbit torques (SOT) is also presented.
Slavery
Authors: Saastamoinen Kari
Published: February 2024

The chapter explores Pufendorf’s account of servitude in Law of Nature and Nations and his remarks on slavery in History of the Principal Kingdoms and States of Europe. The chapter analyses how Pufendorf, in the later work, used slavery as a political metaphor and what he said about the enslavement of Africans in European colonies, suggesting that his decision to mention the enslavement of Africans only in chapters on Spain and Portugal was connected to his religio-political assessment of European states. Using this analysis and some contextual observations, the chapter then explores the two forms of servitude Pufendorf articulated in Law of Nature, arguing that his remarks on servitude founded on captivity in war are best understood when read in a colonial context.
Pufendorf’s Revaluation of Hobbes’s Friend–Enemy Distinction and Law of War
Authors: Haara Heikki
Published: February 2024

This chapter is the first systematic study of the friend–enemy distinction in Pufendorf’s natural law philosophy. Pufendorf’s treatment of friendship and enmity among individuals and between the states is an informative example of how he struggled to respond to Hobbes’s theory of the state of nature, which he, for the most part, accepted. Pufendorf attempts to recast Hobbes’s doctrine of natural enmity without reverting to the Aristotelian conception of friendship as the foundation of human sociability (i) to support his denial that the state of nature is a state of war and (ii) to explain the legitimate limits and scope of enmity. An examination of Pufendorf’s theory of peace and war from the perspective of who is the enemy particularly clarifies how he justified the legitimate scope of violence in the domestic and international realms.
Pufendorf’s Enduring Legacy for International Law
Authors: Boisen Camilla
Published: February 2024

Pufendorf is often purported as an early modern exemplar of legal positivism. Law was conceptualized as command: it had to have an author (i.e. the ‘binding of a superior’) to qualify as law and be enforceable. Pufendorf’s repudiation of a distinct law of nations appears to be an important event in the development of international law that, on the one hand, opened up the international domain to legal positivism, yet, on the other, also elevated its status. To understand his legacy, this chapter asks what Pufendorf hoped to accomplish through international law and whether it aligns with our own aspirations. His moral guidance concerning international law has been a source of discussion in times of crises, such as in the aftermath of both world wars, and continues to be revisited by legal scholars and historians of thought. Thus, this chapter also focuses on how Pufendorf’s teachings shaped these discussions.
Is globalization reducing responsiveness?
Authors: Karremans Johannes
Published: February 2024

The question about the balance between responsiveness and responsibility is linked to an old debate in political science about whether globalization is reducing political parties’ responsiveness. This chapter explores whether the intensification of international economic integration that occurred between the 1980s and 2010s brought major changes to the balance of criteria in governments’ decision-making. It illustrates how the evidence regarding globalization reducing responsiveness is rather ambivalent. On the one hand, there is some evidence for financial commitments playing a greater role in shaping governments’ criteria; on the other there is no strong evidence for a substantial decline in responsiveness. This chapter thus sets the scene for the analyses carried out in the remainder of the book.
Policy justifications under technocratic and populist cabinets
Authors: Karremans Johannes
Published: February 2024

Imbalances between responsiveness and responsibility risk turning representative democracies into either populist or technocratic forms of rule. This intuition has so far only been explored at the theoretical level. Based on the variation in types of government experienced in Italy between 2008 and 2019, this chapter explores the intuition empirically. The analysis confirms the expectations only partially. Qualitative evidence shows that also technocratic governments need to be to some extent responsive to domestic demands, and that through institutionalized checks and balances also populist governments are forced to be responsible to some extent. Overall, despite its unique variation in type of government, the Italian case features the same trend over time in the balance between responsiveness and responsibility as that of other eurozone countries.
National variations of responsiveness
Authors: Karremans Johannes
Published: February 2024

The empirical evidence from the previous chapters shows that in five eurozone countries from 2014 onwards all governments started being relatively more concerned with giving resources domestically rather than being concerned with public deficit levels. But if this policy attitude were not linked to the ideological profile of the governing parties, it could not be seen as responsiveness. This chapter therefore explores the qualitative contents of the policy justifications, and shows that responsiveness took different forms in each country, in relation partially to the ideological profile of the government, and partially in line with past policy legacies.
Data analysis and statistical modelling
Authors: Siegrist Johannes , Li Jian
Published: February 2024

An empirical test of research hypotheses is one of the main aims of scientific research. This chapter focuses on quantitative data and their exploration by analytic statistics. Basic notions are briefly introduced to readers in three parts. Section 5.1 summarizes key features of regression analysis. Here, the notions of confounding, mediation, effect modification, and interaction are discussed. This section is extended by brief descriptions of structural equation modelling and multilevel analysis. As a main methodological challenge, the problem of causal inference is highlighted, with a short description of counterfactual approaches (Section 5.2). As the text is restricted to introductory information, a few examples derived from published research are included to illustrate some of the arguments. In the final sections, two crucial aspects of analytic scientific research are addressed. Firstly, we describe the main features of systematic reviews and meta-analyses as tools of updating and summarizing current evidence on specific research topics. Given an excessive and abundant flow of scientific information these ways of structuring and examining available knowledge are indispensable for researchers as well as for practitioners interested in science (Section 5.3). Finally, we bring readers’ attention of to some core ethical aspects of scientific research by referring to the dual use of scientific knowledge and to principles of scientific integrity. We also discuss the critical topic of scientific misconduct, and we emphasize the role of personal responsibility of individual researchers (Section 5.4).
Affinity Between the Aims of Social Work and the Mechanisms of Arts-Based Research
Authors: Huss Ephrat
Published: February 2024

Chapter 7 takes readers through the process of designing and implementing expressive inquiry. It is observed that social work is primarily a women-led field, yet the perspectives of female service users have been historically absent from traditional modes of research. Consequently, knowledge of their wants and needs have been assumed and misjudged by researchers or have remained unknown. It is contended that, unlike traditional methods of inquiry, participatory arts-based modalities bring forth—unfiltered by presumed biases—the lived experiences of vulnerable populations. To illustrate, the reader is invited into the cultural world of Bedouin women presenting examples of art-based participatory inquiry that expand critical knowledge about their situational realities, hopes, and dreams. The approaches in the chapter illuminate how arts-based inquiry should be thought of as not an end but a method to gain new knowledge with the goal of social and political change.
Creating Comics on the Curb
Authors: Finch Katy
Published: February 2024

Part III of the book highlights arts-based practice in the community, as exemplified by the description in this chapter of a unique collaboration between a social worker/comic illustrator and an artist who has spent much of his life unhoused. Readers are invited to consider using expressive modalities in lieu of or in conjunction with traditional survey-based methods to co-create social work assessments with clients. It is argued that assessments miss the nuances and richness of peoples’ lives and run the risk of stereotyping rather than elucidating clients’ experiences. A social worker/comic illustrator offered clients opportunities to author their life stories, and work with the artist was an exceptional example of art-based engagement. The collaborative comics will enlighten and broaden readers’ understanding of community. These methods are not without controversy, yet the social worker/comic illustrator continues to infuse art into professional practice and mentors others to do the same.
Coming Fully Into the Present
Authors: Graybeal Clay
Published: February 2024

This chapter takes the form of an autobiographical narrative. A social work artist/educator and former practitioner uses storytelling to capture professional quandaries, relational successes, personal discoveries, and the choices made during more than 30 years in the field. Discussed are translating what was learned in practice into theatrical productions to broaden public awareness of the exigencies of trauma and the limitations of the healer. The reader is invited not to leave the artfulness of youth behind, but rather to explore the diversity of art forms they can use to connect with and build meaningful client/work relationships. Clinicians are encouraged to infuse art-based questions into assessment and use what is learned to co-construct tools to enhance therapeutic insight and expression. And for those who have yet to experience the arts firsthand, an avenue of expression that can enrich one’s personal and professional practice is suggested.