bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of supratotal resection with progression-free survival, malignant transformation, and overall survival in lower-grade gliomas
Authors: Rossi Marco , Gay Lorenzo , Ambrogi Federico , Conti Nibali Marco , Sciortino Tommaso , Puglisi Guglielmo , Leonetti Antonella , Mocellini Cristina , Caroli Manuela , Cordera Susanna , Simonelli Matteo , Pessina Federico , Navarria Piera , Pace Andrea , Soffietti Riccardo , Rudà Roberta , Riva Marco , Bello Lorenzo
Published: October 2020

Background

Supratotal resection is advocated in lower-grade gliomas (LGGs) based on theoretical advantages but with limited verification of functional risk and data on oncological outcomes. We assessed the association of supratotal resection in molecularly defined LGGs with oncological outcomes.

Methods

Included were 460 presumptive LGGs; 404 resected; 347 were LGGs, 319 isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)–mutated, 28 wildtype. All patients had clinical, imaging, and molecular data. Resection aimed at supratotal resection without any patient or tumor a priori selection. The association of extent of resection (EOR), categorized on volumetric fluid attenuated inversion recovery images as residual tumor volume, along with postsurgical management with progression-free survival (PFS), malignant (M)PFS, and overall survival (OS) assessed by univariate, multivariate, and propensity score analysis. The study mainly focused on IDH-mutated LGGs, the “typical LGGs.”

Results

Median follow-up was 6.8 years (interquartile range, 5–8). Out of 319 IDH-mutated LGGs, 190 (59.6%) progressed, median PFS: 4.7 years (95% CI: 4–5.3). Total and supratotal resection obtained in 39% and 35% of patients with IDH1-mutated tumors. In IDH-mutated tumors, most patients in the partial/subtotal group progressed, 82.4% in total, only 6 (5.4%) in supratotal. Median PFS was 29 months (95% CI: 25–36) in subtotal, 46 months (95% CI: 38–48) in total, while at 92 months, PFS in supratotal was 94.0%. There was no association with molecular subtypes and grade. At random forest analysis, PFS strongly associated with EOR, radiotherapy, and previous treatment. In the propensity score analysis, EOR associated with PFS (hazard ratio, 0.03; 95% CI: 0.01–0.13). MPFS occurred in 32.1% of subtotal total groups; 1 event in supratotal. EOR, grade III, previous treatment correlated to MPFS. At random forest analysis, OS associated with EOR as well.

Conclusions

Supratotal resection strongly associated with PFS, MPFS, and OS in LGGs, regardless of molecular subtypes and grade, right from the beginning of clinical presentation.
Mitigating Shirking Contracting Performance in Buyer-Initiated Service Triads
Authors: Nullmeier Fabian , Wynstra Finn , van der Valk Wendy
Published: October 2020

Buyers that operate in buyer-initiated service triads must deal with the repercussions of service suppliers failing to satisfy the buyer’s customer. Performance-based contracting (PBC) can be used to shift the risks associated with performance shortfalls to service suppliers. Attaining specified performance outcomes can, however, be highly uncertain in service triads where there are many factors outside the supplier’s control. In such situations of high outcome uncertainty, suppliers may be induced to shirk their responsibilities since the direct customer–supplier link inherent to triadic structures gives suppliers an opportunity to engage in shirking without being detected. According to established theory, PBC is less effective in such situations, and behavior-based contracting (BBC) is more effective in achieving performance outcomes that are satisfactory to buyers. However, these insights are based on the long-standing assumption that PBC and BBC are substitutes. This assumption has been criticized as not being representative of empirical reality. Therefore, this chapter studies whether combining these contracting approaches during the contract design and contract management phases mitigates shirking of responsibility by suppliers. Using a data set derived from a survey questionnaire, the chapter finds that combining PBC and BBC during the contract design phase does not reduce shirking. However, the results do reveal that responsibility shirking can be mitigated by combining PBC and BBC during the contract management phase. This study provides purchasing managers with new insights concerning how to use PBC to achieve satisfactory performance outcomes, even in uncertain contexts such as service triads.
Psychometric Concerns in the Assessment of Trauma-Related Symptoms in Older Adults
Authors: van Zelst Willeke H. , Beekman Aartjan T. F.
Published: October 2020

Assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in older adults is still in its infancy despite reflections on this subject in past literature. Factors that influence assessment are traumas that occurred long in the past, lower prevalence, the fact that older people complain less, more misinterpretation of avoiding and intrusion symptoms, more somatic comorbidity, and higher risk of cognitive impairment. The Clinician Administered PTSD Scale is mostly used to diagnose PTSD, but is less researched in older individuals. Only two screening instruments have been validated specifically for older adults, the PTSD Checklist (PCL) and the Self-Rating Inventory for PTSD. The PCL scale has been used more often, has been translated in various languages, and is also suitable for clinician rating, which is considered more appropriate for older adults. The PCL-5, based on the new Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, criteria was researched in older veterans but needs further validation. Biological measures have not yet been adapted for assessment in the complex biological systems of older age. Multimethod assessment and computerized screening are becoming more important and can address many of the difficulties in this field. Finally, much can be learned from knowledge already acquired from younger adults.
An Overview of Prevention and Intervention Work in Hong Kong on Health Problems Relating to Internet Use
Authors: Chung Thomas
Published: October 2020

The Internet is this era’s most important new tool, allowing people to accomplish different tasks anytime, anywhere. Users are spending more time online, and the age at which children begin using Internet is becoming younger. Like many useful tools, before we can make the most benefit of it, we must avoid the dangers and risks brought on by its improper use. Young children, who use the Internet for entertainment, learning, and communicating with others, rely on parents and teachers to guide them in healthy Internet use and to execute control to prevent them from misusing it. This chapter summarizes the work of relevant government departments, nongovernmental organizations, and other institutions in Hong Kong to create a supportive environment for healthy use of the Internet and to tackle health problems relating to its use. These approaches range from education and health promotion to case identification and management of those suffering from harm. Results of these efforts allow the younger generation to make the best use of and gain the maximum benefit from Internet use.
Digital Technology Use and Overuse
Authors: Yau Yvonne H. C. , Potenza Marc N.
Published: October 2020

Digital technologies are rapidly gaining in popularity and impact. Discussions continue on whether excessive engagement in digital technologies, such as problematic Internet use and video game playing, merit consideration as behavioral addictions. The recent inclusion of Internet gaming disorder as a condition for further study in the DSM-5 invigorated a new wave of research into the potential impact of technology use on psychological well-being. Akin to individuals with substance use disorders, these individuals show tendencies for increased risk-taking, novelty-seeking, and impulsivity. Corroborating evidence comes from neuroimaging studies suggesting that neurocircuitries and neurotransmitter systems implicated in reward and executive control are altered. However, our understanding of the neural underpinnings of problematic engagement in digital technologies is limited and requires further study. A better understanding of the development and maintenance of problematic engagement in digital technologies is important in facilitating the development of improved treatments efforts.
Positive Effects of Video Gaming on Human Behavior
Authors: Cochrane Aaron , Prot Sara , Blanco Jorge , Green C. Shawn , Gentile Douglas A.
Published: October 2020

The enormous rise in the popularity of video games can be accounted for, at least in part, by their engaging and enjoyable nature. Interestingly, from the perspective of psychological science, the same basic mechanics that give rise to these motivating and pleasure-provoking attributes also make games powerful environments for inducing behavioral change. Indeed, it is easy to identify mechanics in video games that are known to facilitate learning (e.g. feedback, reinforcement, adaptive difficulty). It is therefore unsurprising that video game play has been linked with differences in a host of core psychological processes. Research has included several types of converging methods. This includes correlational methodology, where individuals who play certain types of video games are contrasted against individuals who do not play those types of games; longitudinal methodology, in which players are followed over an extended period of time; and true experiments, in which individuals are randomly assigned to be trained on certain video games. Reported game-related improvements range from heightened visual perception to increased pro-social behaviors to enhanced ability to perform surgery. Although these effects are wide-ranging, it must be emphasized that not all games are equal with respect to the psychological changes they induce. Instead the observed changes are clearly linked to the dynamics, mechanics, and content inherent in individual games. Future work treating video games as rich learning environments will improve our understanding of the interplay between humans and designed dynamic environments.
Professional and Competitive Gaming
Authors: Faust Kyle A. , Meyer Joseph F. , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: October 2020

Gamers are now capable of making a living from playing digital games through competing in tournaments and sponsorships. These gamers, known as professional gamers or e-sports competitors, are able to earn large amounts of money by playing certain types of digital games, such as League of Legends and Fortnite. Professional gaming, despite existing for almost two decades, has still received little study. This chapter focuses on five key ways in which professional gaming impacts research on both positive and negative aspects of digital technology, including skills development, career choice, prosocial behavior, excessive use, and perception of negative stereotypes. Perspectives of a number of professional and competitive players illustrating unique insights into professional and competitive gaming are also provided. Last, ideas for future studies are given that could provide valuable contributions in the field of digital technology use.1
A History and Overview of Video Game Addiction
Authors: Griffiths Mark D. , Pontes Halley M.
Published: October 2020

The past decade has witnessed a significant increase in the number of empirical studies examining various aspects of problematic video game play, video game addiction, and, more recently, gaming disorder. This chapter begins with a brief past history of how research into video game addiction has developed during the past four decades in the 1980s (arcade video game addiction), 1990s (home console video game addiction), and 2000s and beyond (online video game addiction). The chapter also overviews the features of gaming addiction, its prevalence rates, demographics and gaming addiction, negative consequences of excessive video game use, Internet gaming disorder and the DSM-5, and treatment of gaming addiction. Based on the published evidence, particularly from studies conducted in the past decade, it appears that, in extreme cases, excessive gaming can have potentially damaging effects on individuals who appear to display compulsive and/or addictive behavior similar to other more traditional addictions. However, the field has been hindered by the use of inconsistent and nonstandardized criteria to assess and identify problematic and/or addictive video game use.
Texting While Driving and Other Use of Digital Technology Leading to Distraction and Risk
Authors: Varga Susan B. , Vaca Federico E.
Published: October 2020

Advances in technology have dramatically influenced and changed the world of transportation in countless way. While many improvements have been realized with the help of technology in this area, negative consequences, like distracted driving, continue to be formidable challenges to the public’s safety and health. Studies have demonstrated that mobile phones, built-in navigation systems, and other in-vehicle–related entertainment/information technology (infotainment) have contributed to distracted driving, leading to increased morbidity and mortality, especially among the youth. Today, the ubiquitous use of mobile phones while driving has led to major increases of distracted driving, with some attribution to injury and fatal crashes, particularly among young drivers.
Virtual Reality Training in Job Interviewing for People with Mental Health Disorders or Disabilities
Authors: Bell Morris D. , Smith Matthew J.
Published: October 2020

Job interviewing is often the first big hurdle for people seeking employment and may be especially difficult for someone with a psychiatric disorder or disability. Performing well in a job interview often requires coping with the emotional demands of the interaction and having the necessary social skills to establish rapport with the interviewer in order to present oneself in a favorable way. Virtual Reality Job Interview Training (VR-JIT) was created specifically for people with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI) and other potential employment handicaps (e.g., physical disability, felony convictions, first job) to help them overcome their fears, learn the necessary skills, and develop self-confidence to do well during a job interview. The chapter begins by reviewing vocational rehabilitation services for individuals with SPMI, explains the scientific foundations of the VR-JIT training program, describes the special features of the online tool, and presents research findings on its acceptability and efficacy among individuals with SPMI and other disabilities. The authors observed that trainees largely adhered to VR-JIT and could master the skills and earn excellent scores by the end of training. VR-JIT had a moderate to large effect on improving job interview skills in live role-play interviews and increasing self-confidence for job interviews. Moreover, 6-month follow-up survey results suggest that VR-JIT increased access to employment or other competitive volunteer positions as well as reduced the number of weeks to obtaining their employment goal
The Promise and Problem of E-Assessment
Authors: Franzen Michael D. , Page Matthew J. L.
Published: October 2020

There has been an explosion in the development of electronic methods for psychological assessment. These include use of handheld devices, desktop computers, and platform-based Internet methods. This development has occurred separately in the commercial environment and in the research environment. This development of new methods presents great promise to improve the accuracy, ecological validity, and range of constructs in psychological assessment. However there are also many problems involved in the development of these electronic methods, including the need to train clinicians in their use, the need to develop safeguards for privacy, and the need to develop methods to ensure the integrity of the data collected. This chapter outlines some of the main considerations in moving forward.
Digitally Assisted Interventions for the Treatment and Prevention of Risky Behavior in Adults
Authors: Prochaska Janice M. , Prochaska James O.
Published: October 2020

To have a significant and sustainable impact on attaining and maintaining healthy behaviors, the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change addresses the needs of entire populations, not just the minority who are motivated to take immediate action for better health. The six stages of change are outlined as well as the 10 processes of change or strategies to progress from one stage to the next. Digitally assisted interventions tailored to specific stages of change allow programs supported by computer-based tools and methodologies to be interactive and individualized for treatment and prevention of entire populations with risk behaviors like smoking, inactivity, unhealthy diets, alcohol misuse, and ineffectively managed stress. Digitally assisted interventions include mobile phones, personal digital assistants, smartphones, portable media players, tablets, and smart books. The devices have a range of functions from mobile cellular communication using text messages, photos and videos, telephone, and worldwide web access to multimedia playback and software application support. They allow temporal synchronization of the intervention delivery and allow the intervention to engage people’s attention when it is most relevant. The chapter presents examples of transtheoretical, digitally assisted interventions for use by both clients and coaches. Evidence is presented that compares the effectiveness of the digital programs.
Using Digital Technology for Cognitive Assessment and Enhancement in Older Adults
Authors: Rabipour Sheida , Davidson Patrick S. R.
Published: October 2020

Digital technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in cognitive research and clinical applications for older adults. Innovations in web-based cognitive testing, digital tracking tools, and brain–computer interfaces show promise. Digital technology offers potentially safer, more effective, and less costly alternatives to pharmacological and behavioral methods. Computerized cognitive assessment and training show particular promise. However, a number of possible limitations must be kept in mind. This chapter outlines how digital technology shows promise for improving cognitive assessment and support of older adults while stressing caveats that researchers and clinicians should bear in mind. The chapter concludes with highlights of current challenges and practical guidelines for future research
Multicultural Considerations in Telepsychology
Authors: Mena Jasmine A. , Faust Kyle A. , Cook Nathan E. , Faust David , Holt Ryan
Published: October 2020

Although an expanding body of research demonstrates the potential benefits of telepsychology, little is known about its application with ethnoracial minority populations. Research with ethnoracial minority populations points to various factors that predict positive treatment outcomes; thus, it should be considered in multiculturally sensitive telepsychology practice. In this chapter, the authors discuss the multicultural telepsychology literature and provide recommendations for practice and research. The respective literature in multicultural psychology and telepsychology and their intersection suggest that multicultural telepsychology offers substantial promise for improving the lives of vulnerable and underserved ethnoracial minority populations by increasing access to health information and mental health treatment and reducing mental illness stigma. The chapter ends by discussing potentially fruitful avenues for research.
Epidemiology of Technology Use and Mental Health in the United States
Authors: Whiting Seth W. , Hoff Rani A.
Published: October 2020

Advancements in technologies and their mass-scale adoption throughout the United States create rapid changes in how people interact with the environment and each other and how they live and work. As technologies become commonplace in society through increased availability and affordability, several problems may emerge, including disparate use among groups, which creates divides in attainment of the beneficial aspects of a technology’s use and coinciding mental health issues. This chapter briefly overviews new technologies and associated emerging applications in information communication technologies, social media networks, video games and massively multiplayer online role-playing games, and online gambling, then examines the prevalence of use among the general population and its subgroups and further discusses potential links between mental health issues associated with each technology and implications of overuse.
The Natural History of Problematic Internet Use and Gaming
Authors: King Daniel L. , Delfabbro Paul H.
Published: October 2020

Internet use and gaming technologies may, under certain conditions, be associated with clinically significant harm across multiple domains of functioning. However, relatively little is known about the natural history of these problems, including their etiology, symptom trajectory, and risk factors. The aim of this chapter is to summarize and discuss some of the literature on the natural course of Internet-related disorders, with a focus on gaming disorder, and to highlight potentially useful areas for further investigation. The chapter is organized into two main sections which provide summaries of qualitative and quantitative research. It is shown that qualitative evidence is relatively limited in scope. Case reports suggest that problematic Internet and gaming behaviors can have a rapid onset that often arises in the context of busy and unfulfilled lives, particularly among individuals with preexisting psychological issues (e.g., depression, anxiety). The quantitative evidence is more developed and growing. Most studies have focused on adolescence. Studies suggest that social factors such as family life and parent–child relationships play a strong role in the development of persistent behaviors (e.g., gaming to escape from parental conflict). Preexisting poorer social skills, attention issues, and neurotic personality type are risk factors. Overall, the evidence suggests that many individuals, representing a diverse range of social background and psychological vulnerabilities, report long-term problems with Internet and gaming activities. Future research is needed to gain better understanding of these problems to assist affected individuals and their families.
Ritualizing Christian Iconic Texts
Authors: Parmenter Dorina Miller
Published: October 2020

Christian iconic texts are easily recognizable books and images that signify Christian scripture. From the earliest forms of Christianity until the present day, Christians have used their iconic texts, such as Bibles and Gospel books, in rituals such as processions and displays that create and maintain the legitimacy of the tradition and its adherents. Related to the incarnational theology of God’s Word, early Christian rituals often claimed to make Christ present in ritual spaces, so that Bibles operated as icons. After the Reformation and Protestants’ denials of most objects and images for worship, the Bible became the primary ritual object and image for Christian salvation. It is this ritual dimension of scripture that adds value, meaning, and power to the text when it is read or performed.
Ritualizing Muslim Iconic Texts
Authors: Svensson Jonas
Published: October 2020

This chapter suggests an explanatory framework for the iconic dimension of the Qur’an as sacred scripture; that is, of physical copies of the book, for example as objects of veneration, respect, and protection, and as sources of a power with perceived effects on health and well-being. It suggests that diverse beliefs and practices within the iconic dimension are consequences of a “personification” of the scripture, which in turn can be explained as a result of two basically human mental abilities and proclivities: conceptual blending and psychological essentialism. The chapter also notes different aspects of the iconic dimension identified in previous research and discusses it in relation to the overall theoretical framework. Finally, it suggests that the framework has wider application for the iconic dimensions of sacred scriptures in general, it and can be useful for explaining the psychological infrastructure of human sacralization as such.
The Hittites Serve Their Gods
Authors: Beckman Gary
Published: October 2020

In the universe of the Hittites, humans had but a single duty—to serve their deities by providing them with sustenance, praise, and entertainment. This responsibility was organized by the king (T/Labarna), who functioned as both the overseer of his subjects and their representative before their divine masters. On the one hand, in return for their loyal support, the men and women of Hatti received from their gods the boons of agricultural and pastoral plenty, victory in battle, and long years and good health. On the other hand, negligence in regard to the pantheon could result in chastisement in the form of drought, plague, barrenness, military defeat, etc. The cuneiform archives recovered from the Hittite capital and increasingly from provincial cities were compiled precisely to facilitate the supervision by the monarch and his entourage of the performance of the duties of the human community. Most numerous among these texts are programs for the ceremonies of the regular state cult, whose contents provide a detailed picture of the attention required by and accorded to the gods and goddesses of the Hittites.
Influence on Early Christian Worship
Authors: Bradshaw Paul F.
Published: October 2020

This chapter traces the various ways in which the cultic language and imagery of the Hebrew Scriptures influenced and shaped the liturgical thought and ritual practices of early Christianity, from the first to the fourth century ce. At first, this was primarily through the metaphorical or spiritual application of such concepts as priesthood and sacrifice, but eventually there are indications of the beginnings of the adoption of a more literal correspondence between some elements of the Temple cult and aspects of Christian worship. Both corporate and individual practices of prayer are covered, including the use of the canonical psalms, as well as the appropriation of traditional ritual gestures and the emergence of Christian holy days out of biblical festivals.
The Ethics of Worship
Authors: Davies Eryl
Published: October 2020

The chapter examines the relation between ethics and worship in ancient Israel. It focusses on the way in which the cult was instrumental in instructing the people of Israel and Judah in the basic tenets of the moral life by drawing clear distinctions between the ways of the good and those of the wicked. It was in the context of worship that the people were reminded of the moral aspects of the character of God, and some psalms suggest that his character should be imitated in the lives of the pious. The chapter discusses the prophetic critique of Israel’s worship, especially their focus on the disconnect between the conspicuous displays of piety and the lack of ethical behavior on the part of the people. Some aspects of Israel’s worship are highly problematic from the ethical point of view, and the chapter discusses the so-called “imprecatory psalms,” which reflect a tone of resentment and a hunger for retaliation on the part of the worshipper.
The Economics of Worship in Ancient Israel and Judah
Authors: Schaper Joachim
Published: October 2020

In addressing the problem of the “economics of worship” in ancient societies it is advisable first to ascertain on what area of “worship” we should focus our investigation. And while one could indeed attempt to explore the economics of, say, the practices of family religion in ancient Israel and Judah, this does not seem to contribute much to deepening our understanding of the economics of worship generally—not because family religion was not representative of the overall practice of religion in that part of the world, but because, due to its very nature, it did not produce hubs of economic activity and therefore gives us no decisive insights into the correlation between economic and religious practices. By contrast, temples are indeed such hubs; this is true today and was no less true of ancient Israel and Judah. In fact, it was probably more obvious then than it is now that temples hosted economic transactions of various kinds and that some of them were veritable economic hubs of huge significance for the whole of the social formation that had brought them forth. Biblical and other ancient Near Eastern texts do not obfuscate the central significance of the economic basis and the economic consequences of cultic activity; on the contrary, they address them without any qualms.
Introduction
Authors: Balentine Samuel E.
Published: October 2020

The conceit in the title of this volume is that ritual, however expansively it may be defined, is ineluctably tethered to religion and worship. It has a primal connection to the idea that a transcendent order—numinous and mysterious, supranatural and elusive, divine and wholly other—gives meaning and purpose to life. The construction of rites and rituals enables humans to conceive and apprehend this transcendent order, to symbolize it and interact with it, to postulate its truths in the face of contradicting realities and to repair them when they have been breached or diminished. The focus of this Handbook is on ritual and worship from the perspective of biblical studies, particularly on the Hebrew Bible and its ancient Near Eastern antecedents. Within this context, attention will be given to the development of ideas in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim thinking, but only insofar as they connect with or extend the trajectory of biblical precedents. The volume reflects a wide range of analytical approaches to ancient texts, inscriptions, iconography, and ritual artifacts. It examines the social history and cultural knowledge encoded in rituals and explores the way rituals shape and are shaped by politics, economics, ethical imperatives, and religion itself. Toward this end, the volume is organized into six major sections: Historical Contexts, Interpretive Approaches, Ritual Elements (participants, places, times, objects, practices), Cultural and Theological Perspectives, History of Interpretation, Social-Cultural Functions, and Theology and Theological Heritage.
God, Gods, and Humankind (Worldview)
Authors: Hartenstein Friedhelm
Published: October 2020

The chapter gives a working definition of the concepts of God/gods in ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean cultures and describes the character of the Israelite god YHWH against this background as a participant in the temple cult on the basis of Biblical texts. As a deity that was above all imagined as a king, YHWH received ritual gifts, which he reciprocated through the effects of his salvific presence for Israel. The sacrificial practice in the temple cella (“food offering” on a table) and in the courtyard (burnt offering on the altar) signaled the acceptance by God while it preserved his transcendence. For the imagination of the human participants, the gracious reception by the king YHWH must have been as real as other social facts. The “anthropomorphism” of the worldview expressed by biblical texts should be specified as “sociomorphism,” since the ritual encounter with the divine followed primarily social (courtly) rules.
Corporate Solidarity and its Limits Within the Gallo-Frankish Episcopate
Authors: Halfond Gregory
Published: October 2020

This chapter examines the limits of episcopal corporate solidarity in Merovingian Gaul. While the Gallo-Frankish episcopate embraced consensus as one of its fundamental values, this ideal was not easily achieved. Interpersonal conflicts and, more seriously, the factionalizing of bishops along political lines consistently threatened the corporate integrity of the episcopate. Despite the regular convocation of ecclesiastical councils to address breakdowns in corporate solidarity, structural pressures, most significantly the systematic royal patronage of bishops and their churches, encouraged ecclesiopolitical collaboration at the expense of episcopal unity. These pressures are illustrated through a case study: episcopal support for the royal pretender Gundovald.
Public Health, Hospitals, and Charity
Authors: Horden Peregrine
Published: October 2020

The Merovingian world has not usually been thought worth a chapter in histories of public health. Yet it seems to provide a striking example of measures taken by bishops to prevent the spread of a lethal epidemic, possibly the Justinianic Plague. It also gave rise to the first wave of hospital foundations in western Europe, hospitals that cared charitably for the poor and needy but that also offered therapy for the body as well as the soul. The chapter explores the best documented examples of such initiatives, placing them in the contexts of medicine, disease, poverty, and charity.
The Role of the City in Merovingian Francia
Authors: Loseby S. T.
Published: October 2020

The Merovingians inherited an urban network from the Roman Empire that remained substantially intact. Although Gallic cities had long been declining in extent and sophistication, during late antiquity their landscapes were adapted to contemporary priorities through the provision of walls and churches, and their politics was transformed by the emergence of bishops as leaders of urban communities. When the upper tiers of imperial administration disappeared, this equipped the vast majority of cities to survive as the basic building blocks of Merovingian kingdoms that were initially conceived as aggregations of city–territories. In ruling through their cities, the Merovingians expanded upon existing mechanisms for the extraction of taxes and services, while relying on centrally appointed bishops and counts rather than city councils for the projection of their authority. This generated fierce competition between kings for control of cities and among local elites for positions of power within them. In the later Merovingian period, however, the significance of cities diminished as stable territorial kingdoms emerged, political practice was centralized around the royal courts, and the Roman administrative legacy finally disintegrated. But the cities remained preeminent religious centers, and, with the beginnings of economic revival, continued to perform a range of functions unmatched by other categories of settlement.
Merovingian Religious Architecture
Authors: Chevalier Pascale
Published: October 2020

For nearly 270 years, between the end of the Roman Empire and the advent of the Carolingian dynasty, the Merovingian territories experienced an intense flowering of religious construction, which recent archaeology has documented with increasing detail. This chapter sheds light on new research and recent discoveries; however, rather than reviewing all of the sites and studies of Merovingian churches and the contemporary sources mentioning them, it gives some new clues and reflections about so-called Merovingian architecture and the broad vision of an architectural form that was expressed in quite simple but majestic designs. These structures, constructed of stone (or wood), reveal a society progressively Christianized under the leadership of bishops, clerics, and monks, as well as by the Merovingian sovereigns. Without any break with classical antiquity, the Merovingian centuries fit into a continuous legacy that transformed the monumental landscape in both cities and countryside. The various forms of Christian monuments of the fifth to eighth century thus illustrate this heritage, sometimes through an extreme simplification of antique patterns and sometimes through the enrichment of aesthetic forms brought by the arrival of immigrant populations. Within a changing world, religious buildings appear to have been a catalyst for cultural exchanges as places of visibility and gathering, as witnesses of the building fever of the period. Our understanding of religious architecture in Merovingian Gaul is gradually becoming more accurate. We now know an increasing amount about the establishment, planning, forms and sizes, construction techniques, ornamentation, and liturgical and functional content of all these structures. These structures, which were so varied in size and use, reveal extensive artistic plurality.
Deuteronomy and Early Rabbinic Judaism
Authors: Gereboff Joel
Published: October 2020

Early Rabbinic Judaism (70–500 ce) was a period of intense intellectual and pastoral creativity that crafted an enduring cultural identity for Jews. The Tannaim were teachers during this period whose theological explanations and pastoral applications preserved in the Sifre Devarim bring Deuteronomy into a conversation with a complex of nonbiblical traditions. The Tannaim treat Deuteronomy only as part of their overall interpretation of Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. There are scholarly analyses of the Sifre Devarim; however, there is no systematic examination of the overall influence of Deuteronomy on writings in Early Rabbinic Judaism. Instead, scholars have focused on the history and range of views on specific legal issues in Deuteronomy. I will focus on how Tosefta, Mishnah, and Sifre Devarim handle Deuteronomy in general, rather than how they treat specific legal issues like tithes (14:22–29), holy days (16:1–17), household discipline (21:18–21), divorce (24:1–4), or the levirate (25:5–10).
Monotheism and Deuteronomy
Authors: Lynch Matthew
Published: October 2020

Monotheism is a vexed subject in biblical scholarship. Many contend that some of the alleged monotheistic claims in the book (6:4) are not at all relevant to the subject or are very late. Others try to show that the book provides useful data points for explaining the development of Israelite religion. This chapter surveys the place of Deuteronomy in the study of monotheism and offers clarity on what monotheism means before assessing key passages on the subject. I argue that Deuteronomy is indeed monotheistic, but that our use of that term needs careful consideration.
Creation and New Creation in the Book of Revelation
Authors: Stephens Mark B.
Published: October 2020

The topics of creation and new creation are central to the persuasive strategy of Revelation. Addressing itself to a context in which cosmology was often deployed to buttress Roman hegemony, Revelation constructs a “counter-cosmos” to undermine Rome’s pretentious claims to sovereignty. Within this narrative world God is worshipped because he is both the maker of all things and the one who makes all things new. Revelation’s frequent portrayals of cosmic turmoil and catastrophe function to undermine Rome’s claim to secure existence, but the ultimate hope is that creation will be renewed by means of a transference of sovereignty, where the divine reign displaces the corrupted rule of Babylon. Such hopes ultimately serve John’s wider pastoral goals, in which he is seeking for Asian Christians to foster critical distance from their surrounding culture, and so form them for prophetic witness to the nations.
Introduction to Revelation’s Social Setting, Theological Perspective, and Literary Design
Authors: Koester Craig R.
Published: October 2020

This chapter first considers the social setting in which Revelation was composed and first read. Aspects include the author’s role as Christian prophet and the issues facing the readers, which include conflict with outsiders, questions of accommodating Greco-Roman religious practice, and complacency due to wealth. Theological perspectives are discussed in relation to images such as of God, the Lamb, and new Jerusalem, and Satan, the beast, and Babylon. The literary structure includes six cycles of visions, which include some repetition even as they move forward to the climax in the final chapters. Each aspect contributes to the book’s overall purpose, which is that readers live out their commitments to God, Christ, and their community of faith, while resisting the overt and subtle pressures to do otherwise.
The Old Testament in the Book of Revelation
Authors: Moyise Steve
Published: October 2020

Though once neglected, the study of the Old Testament in the book of Revelation has received a great deal of attention in recent years. The reason for the neglect was that John does not actually quote the Old Testament but uses its language to construct his visions. His favorite books are those of the prophets Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, along with the Psalms. The sheer density of allusions and echoes has led some scholars to call it a “midrash,” though others do not think this does justice to the originality of John’s composition. The chapter begins with the question of the language of the allusions and echoes and then moves on to John’s use of particular books (Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah), his fusion of allusions and echoes in particular passages (1:12–16; 5:5–6; 12:1–18; 15:3–5) and his use of common Old Testament themes (Worship God alone/New Exodus/God’s abiding presence).
A Content Analysis of Creating and Curating Musical Identity on Social Media
Authors: Kastner Julie Derges
Published: October 2020

Social networking sites have emerged as a way for musicians to connect, create, and collaborate, and, as a result, they have become important spaces for identity expression and formation. This chapter reveals the findings of a content analysis of 23 empirical studies focusing on social media, identity, and music or music education in order to explore the types of research methods and identity frameworks they employed, emergent themes, and possible avenues for future research. Results of this content analysis revealed three themes: (1) personal expressions of identity, as individuals sought to curate their online identities; (2) identity through social interactions, which often featured a convergence of musical and nonmusical roles; and (3) identity through teaching and learning as individuals participated and found support and encouragement in an online community. Additionally, these studies most commonly used qualitative methods, with several using a cyber ethnographic approach, and a variety of identity frameworks. The chapter closes with suggestions for future research to further explore the evolving expressions of musical identity on social networking sites.
Social Media and Theoretical Approaches to Music Learning in Networked Music Communities
Authors: Waldron Janice L.
Published: October 2020

Academic debates surrounding “community” have existed since theorist Frederick Tonnes first defined the term as a sociological construct in 1887. However, since the early 21st century, easy internet access and the development of social media sites have led to an escalating discourse surrounding “community,” as both the web and social media sites continue to disrupt earlier ideas of community creation and bounding, while simultaneously creating previously unimagined opportunities for network building, community growth, and collaborative learning. This chapter examines the ramifications of social media use and networked community for music learning and teaching. It begins with a history of social media in on- and offline convergent communities. It then addresses the role of social media and education theories in examining on- and offline convergent music communities, using two case studies as illustrations.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Social Media in Music Education
Authors: Bates Vincent C. , Shevock Daniel J.
Published: October 2020

The aim of this chapter is to extend the conversation surrounding social media in music education to include economic justice and ecological sustainability and to begin the work of evaluating social media’s potential for cultural and environmental conservation. It is argued that such practices can constitute “the good” when they emerge from an awareness of concepts such as community and commons, or, in short, when they utilize convivial tools. The relevant terminology is described, followed by a virtual “field trip” through various social media used by music educators. Using commons (shared culture and place) as models, the authors analyze and evaluate practices. Their definitions and evaluations can help guide music education social media scholars yearning to adopt more critical directions in the interests of equality and sustainability. The chapter concludes with some guidelines for an approach to music education intended to promote economic and social equality and ecological conservation. With conscious and sustained effort, music teachers and learners can use social media as convivial tools to strengthen communities, promote ecological literacy and sustainability, and satisfy basic human needs. The potential is there. It requires guarding against “the bad” and “the ugly,” the development of false needs and waste. Aware of eco-literate responsibilities, music teachers can guide students, and their colleagues as well, to be wise in their use of social media and material resources.
Reflections From the Field of Communications: Weird Materiality
Authors: Hunsinger Jeremy
Published: October 2020

This reflection riffs off O’Neill’s work to discuss weird materiality and nomadological learning through speakers, phones, and social media. Weird materialities are the intertwingled assemblages of human and nonhuman subjectivities that take both noumenal and phenomenal forms; that is to say, it is the “things” which exist as materialities that are not entirely material because they are mixed with humans and nonhuman actors. This response focuses on one assemblage of weird materiality—social media—in relation to music learning. It then narrows the discussion to focus on what most learners use to access musical social media: the “phone” and, occasionally and more specifically, its speakers.
α-Amino-3-Hydroxy-5-Methyl-4-Isoxazolepropionic Acid and Kainate Receptors
Authors: Dawe G. Brent , Brown Patricia M. G. E. , Bowie Derek
Published: October 2020

α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and kainate-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs and KARs) are dynamic ion channel proteins that govern neuronal excitation and signal transduction in the mammalian brain. The four AMPAR and five KAR subunits can heteromerize with other subfamily members to create several combinations of tetrameric channels with unique physiological and pharmacological properties. While both receptor classes are noted for their rapid, millisecond-scale channel gating in response to agonist binding, the intricate structural rearrangements underlying their function have only recently been elucidated. This chapter begins with a review of AMPAR and KAR nomenclature, topology, and rules of assembly. Subsequently, receptor gating properties are outlined for both single-channel and synaptic contexts. The structural biology of AMPAR and KAR proteins is also discussed at length, with particular focus on the ligand-binding domain, where allosteric regulation and alternative splicing work together to dictate gating behavior. Toward the end of the chapter there is an overview of several classes of auxiliary subunits, notably transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins and Neto proteins, which enhance native AMPAR and KAR expression and channel gating, respectively. Whether bringing an ion channel novice up to speed with glutamate receptor theory and terminology or providing a refresher for more seasoned biophysicists, there is much to appreciate in this summation of work from the glutamate receptor field.
The Book of Isaiah: Persian/Hellenistic Background
Authors: Joachimsen Kristin
Published: October 2020

The chapter discusses topics that scholars have associated with the Persian context of the book of Isaiah, such as Cyrus, creation, monotheism, and universalism. Common to these topics is that they relate to Achaemenid imperial ideology in one way or another. Moreover, a Hellenistic context has been identified for texts that are thought to offer current historical allusions or that are related to literary features associated with what is labeled proto-apocalyptic. A fundamental challenge, which exists throughout the discussion of the historical background of prophetic discourse, is that scholars tend to historicize the poetry and metaphors—namely, to blend the world in the text with constructions of what is regarded as the historical and social background of the text.