bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anatomical and Physiological Basis for the Flow of Thalamocortical Inputs across the Layers of the Primary Sensory Cortex
Authors: Oberlaender Marcel
Published: November 2023

All areas of the cerebral cortex receive inputs from and project back to the thalamus. Thalamocortical axons project to all cortical layers, where they can form synaptic connections with diverse types of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons. This chapter introduces some of the basic anatomical and physiological properties that characterize each of the 10 major excitatory cell types of the cerebral cortex, and reviews how these cell type-specific properties shape the flow sensory-evoked thalamocortical inputs across cortical layers. Based on these considerations at cellular and cell type levels, the chapter discusses previous and current views of the cortical circuit architecture that underlies the processing and the transformation of thalamocortical input into corticothalamic output. This chapter thereby provides a starting framework for the subsequent chapters that focus more deeply on excitatory and inhibitory neurons and their firing properties during different behaviors, synaptic dynamics, dynamic receptive fields, and neuromodulation.
The Evolving Concept of Cortical Hierarchy
Authors: Vezoli Julien , Hou Yujie , Kennedy Henry
Published: November 2023

The notion of hierarchy in the brain finds its roots in the work of neurologists of the 19th century. In the mid-20th century, modern concepts of hierarchy crystallized around feedforward processing and the phenomena of the receptive field, which shaped much of what is known about the physiology of the brain. The subsequent discovery of the regularities of anatomical tract tracing data led to the construction of large-scale models of the cortex, which, along with top-down contextual effects, raised the mystery of the role of feedback anatomical connections, which in numerous instances outnumber feedforward connections. In the past few years, the synergistic functions of feedforward and feedback processing have taken center stage as the raison d’être of cortical hierarchy and are thought to hold the key to a deeper understanding of cortical function.
Attention and Thalamocortical Interactions
Authors: Kastner Sabine , Usrey W. Martin
Published: November 2023

Selective attention is a cognitive process that serves to improve the detection and discrimination of attended stimuli and to decrease the reaction time for appropriate behavior. Because attention is a limited resource, the allocation of attention must be flexible and under cognitive control. Past efforts to understand attention and its allocation have focused primarily on the cerebral cortex alone where attention generally increases the responsiveness of cortical neurons to visual stimuli; however, growing evidence indicates that subcortical structures, including the thalamus, play a significant role. This chapter is focused on thalamocortical network interactions involving the lateral geniculate nucleus and the pulvinar and their role in selective attention.
The Mediodorsal Thalamus and Decision-Making
Authors: Halassa Michael M. , Saalmann Yuri B.
Published: November 2023

Although the prefrontal cortex is known to be critical for high-level cognition, classical and contemporary studies indicate that it does not do so in isolation. Instead, prefrontal function is reliant on interactions with an extended network that includes subcortical partners. Chief among these partners is the mediodorsal thalamus. This chapter reviews the role of the mediodorsal-prefrontal network in decision-making. The authors first provide an overview of decision-making and its multiple domains, including perceptual, value-based, and memory-guided decision-making. Distinct prefrontal areas are engaged in different aspects of these cognitive operations, which surprisingly share common computational features. They highlight work suggesting that the mediodorsal thalamus supports task-relevant cortical activity within and across prefrontal regions via operations such as signal compression. The chapter ends by providing a road map to future research extending these scientific insights and applying them to therapeutics relevant to neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Mechanisms Underlying the Refinement of the Retinogeniculate Synapse
Authors: Chen Chinfei
Published: November 2023

Essential for normal neurological function is the proper formation of neuronal circuits. This process starts with mapping of presynaptic neurons to the proposed postsynaptic partners. In some areas of the brain, initial mapping is precise to the specific postsynaptic cell. In others, like sensory inputs onto primary thalamus, initial targeting of presynaptic axons is broad, followed by synapse pruning and strengthening. This process of modification of the initial connection is referred to as developmental synapse refinement or remodeling. The retinogeniculate synapse, the connection between retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and thalamocortical (TC) neurons in primary visual thalamus, has been a powerful experimental system for identifying and understanding the cellular, circuit, and molecular mechanisms underlying developmental refinement. This chapter reviews the current understanding of the mechanisms underlying postnatal development that lead to the mature thalamic circuit for sensory processing in the mammalian central nervous system.
Development of Corticothalamic Projections
Authors: Guido William
Published: November 2023

This chapter discusses the recent advances and current understanding of the development of corticothalamic projections. These projections arise from subpopulations of cortical neurons that reside in layers V and VI. Distinct in their pattern of thalamic innervation and function, descending projections from layers 5 and 6 also exhibit somewhat different developmental plans. The chapter focuses on their origin, cell fate, axon guidance, and layer-specific targeting of thalamic nuclei. The author also explores the impact that corticothalamic projections have on the development and plasticity of other major ascending tracts, including the thalamocortical and retinogeniculate pathways.
The Coevolution of the Neocortex and Dorsal Thalamus in Mammals
Authors: Halley Andrew C. , Krubitzer Leah
Published: November 2023

Coevolution of the mammalian neocortex and dorsal thalamus occurs within the broader context of diverse mammalian bodies, behavior, lifestyles, and environmental context, the latter of which is composed of unique, complex patterns of sensory stimuli which must be transduced and interpreted by the brain. Natural selection targets behavior and modifies sensory systems to process incoming patterns of input and generate adaptive behavior for a given context. The dorsal thalamus is the primary source of sensory input to the neocortex, and it plays a central role in integrating information from the neocortex to shape motor output. This chapter examines the coevolution of the dorsal thalamus and neocortex in mammals, focusing on studies that have characterized the relative size of primary sensory cortical fields and nuclei of the thalamus that provide their primary inputs. Because most data on scaling of the cortex and thalamus come from work on the visual system, the authors use examples from this system (dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, pulvinar complex, and primary visual cortex) to demonstrate how species vary in thalamocortical organization more generally. Finally, they consider several theories that propose why thalamocortical relationships vary across lineages.
Evolution and Development of Thalamocortical Relationships
Authors: Molnár Zoltán , Bandiera Sara , Clowry Gavin J.
Published: November 2023

The evolution and development of the mammalian cerebral cortex and thalamus are closely linked. All cerebral cortical areas have reciprocal connections with the respective nuclei of the thalamus. These connections start forming at early stages of development and therefore they reciprocally influence each other. To reach the cortex, thalamocortical projections cross through regions of the forebrain that had very substantial modifications during evolution, and these changes are reflected in their development. The thalamic projections cross the region of pallial subpallial boundary (PSPB) using interactions between early corticofugal projections and a transient cell population in the internal capsule. At the time that thalamic projections arrive at the cortex, the relative maturity of the thalamus and cortex varies in marsupials, rodents, carnivores, and primates. Recent observations in macaque and human suggests that the thalamic projections arrive at the cortex very early and interact not only with subplate neurons, but also with some of the cortical progenitor populations in the germinal zone. These early interactions could shape the proportions of area-specific cortical circuits. The choreography of corticothalamic innervation of the thalamus follows a specific algorithm and is sensitive to alterations in the sensory input. These allocations of layer 6 and layer 5 projections can change after early sensory deprivations. This chapter compares the development and plasticity of these elaborate pathways in various species, including humans.
How the LGN Forwards Retinal Information to the Cortex
Authors: Sommer Friedrich T. , Hirsch Judith A.
Published: November 2023

The lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) edits retinal input—ganglion cells fire faster than relay cells do. To describe how editing across the retinogeniculate synapse changes the structure and content of visual information cortex receives, this chapter turns to a concept from statistics called “thinning,” in which one point process (e.g., a spike train) is transformed to another solely by removing points. For example, this statistical framework reveals how information encoded by pairs of retinal impulses is recoded as single thalamic spikes that extract novel temporal features of the stimulus, and also how relay cells are able to capture the fine timing in retinal spike trains to relay information about spatial context.
Contribution of Thalamocortical Loops to the Development, Persistence, and Complications of Alcohol Use Disorder
Authors: Pitel Anne Lise , Segobin Shailendra
Published: November 2023

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is associated with episodic memory impairments, executive dysfunction, and craving. These cognitive and behavioral alterations are related to brain abnormalities in 3 thalamocortical loops involving different thalamic nuclei. First, when AUD is combined with thiamine deficiency, the anterior nuclei are especially affected, leading to severe dysfunction within the Papez circuit and to the development of Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS). Although episodic memory disorders occur in AUD patients without KS, the specific relationships between the anterior nuclei integrity and episodic memory performance have received little attention in AUD and KS patients. Second, chronic and excessive alcohol consumption also results in dysfunction of the frontocerebellar circuit that theoretically includes the mediodorsal nuclei. Altered executive abilities and motor disorders associated with this system can thus be observed both in AUD patients with and without KS. In AUD, these executive deficits contribute to the persistence of drinking behaviors, hamper psychosocial treatment, and favor relapse. Third, craving, the irrepressible urge to consume a substance or engage in an activity, is now a central feature of AUD and is hypothesized to be subserved by a thalamo-insular circuit involving the ventromedial nuclei of the thalamus. Alterations to several thalamocortical loops thus contribute to the development, persistence, and complications of AUD. The literature reviewed shows a clear involvement of different thalamic nuclei in components of AUD functional sequelae.
Psychosis across persons 2: Poverty, trauma, and sociodevelopment
Authors: Gayer-Anderson Charlotte , Beards Stephanie , Reininghaus Ulrich
Published: November 2023

This chapter critically reviews current research on, and models of, the aetiology of psychosis, paying particular attention to the limited research on social risk factors in settings beyond the Global North. It poses two key questions: What is known about socioenvironmental risk factors for psychosis in the Global South, and how does this depart from the knowledge base in the Global North? What is the value and the methodological and logistical challenges of extending research to more diverse settings where the distribution of risk factors differs (e.g. poverty, trauma, substance use, and so on)? It is important to note that the integrated aetiological model sketched in this chapter was developed mostly based on research from North America, Europe, and Australia. This chapter aims to assess how these ideas may need to be modified in light of research from the Global South.
Psychosis across persons 4: Course and outcome
Authors: Burns Jonathan K.
Published: November 2023

Recent research has indicated that there is considerable heterogeneity in the course and outcome of psychosis related to many factors including gender, age of onset, exposure to treatment, and socioeconomic and geographic context, challenging old assumptions and demonstrating the need for more coordination in international research to improve our understanding of the long-term pattern and consequences of psychotic illness. This chapter provides an overview of the current literature and draws conclusion on course, outcome, and recovery within a multidimensional framework. It describes how the comparison of functional outcome across studies is challenging, in part due to the heterogeneity of methods and measures adopted, but also because functional outcome is highly context-dependent and defined variably in different social and cultural settings.
Psychoses and mental health services in mainland China
Authors: Xiao Shuiyuan , Niu Lu
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides a brief overview of the epidemiology of psychotic disorders and the provision of mental healthcare, with a focus on the general profile of individuals with psychotic disorders, in mainland China. This includes how individuals with psychotic disorders live in the sociocultural context and how they are cared for. Psychotic disorders impose a huge economic burden on both families and society in China. By using the health records of two psychiatric hospitals and a prevalence-based bottom-up approach, it is estimated that the average total annual costs of mental disorders in China increased from USD $1,094.8 per patient in 2005 to USD $3,665.4 in 2013, and from $21.0 billion to $88.8 billion for the whole society.
Concepts and prevalence of intellectual disability across cultures
Authors: Bertelli Marco O. , Cook Elen , Michael Dasari
Published: November 2023

The conceptualization of intellectual disability/disorders of intellectual development (ID/DID) has changed considerably across time. In the last decade, difficulties in defining and placing ID/DID have sparked a more intense scientific debate than ever before, which includes two main approaches, one focusing on disability as characterized by significant impairment of intellectual functioning and adaptive behaviour, and the other proposing a multidimensional polynomial-polysemic definition to be accorded to specific classificatory contexts. The concept of ID/DID varies greatly from one country to another, as well as from one cultural setting to the next within the same country. Culture and context are two intertwined fundamental concepts that have a big impact on estimating prevalence, planning, and delivering effective health and social services. In wealthy nations such as Denmark, the prevalence of ID/DID is reported to be less than 1%, while it can reach 3–4% in low- and middle-income countries. Research in high-income countries yielded very consistent rates, but rates in low- and middle-income countries are more variable, owing to methodological problems and greater risk exposure variance. However, comparing prevalence is difficult because of the enormous differences in how ID/DID is conceptualized, economic and societal variables, diagnostic criteria applied, and methodologies used to identify ID/DID. Although prevalence rates in different countries and contexts cannot reveal cultural differences in ID/DID conceptualization or the dynamics of the disablement process, these figures can be used to improve policymaking and advocacy as well as raise awareness of the relationship between societies and their citizens with ID/DID.
Neurodevelopmental disorders in people with intellectual disability across cultures
Authors: Shankar Rohit , Barrett Mary , Kommu John Vijay Sagar , Biswas Asit
Published: November 2023

Culture is a constantly evolving shared pattern of customs, ideas, and behaviours by a particular society. Culture refers to the characteristics passed between generations which distinguish one society from another. It is a dynamic, active state of being and therefore subject to change and will evolve over time. Culture can have a significant influence on health and social outcomes particularly in approaches to disability. It can affect understanding of a disability, management options, and relationships with professional caregivers. Perspectives on disability can hinge on the differing cultural values of social interdependence and individual autonomy. Personal and environmental factors, including culture, share a complex relationship with functional capabilities and participation. Some cultures emphasize social relationships rather than a person’s cognitive abilities thus providing fluctuation on societal expectations of an individual’s overall competence. It is important for care providers for people with neurodevelopmental conditions to be intimately aware of cross-cultural challenges which influence care delivery. This chapter provides an oversight of how different cultures can influence care and management of people with neurodevelopmental conditions.
Perception of intellectual disability across cultures
Authors: Gangavati Shweta , Hewage Chandanie G. , Nayar Arjun , Chaturvedi Santosh K.
Published: November 2023

Culture is an amalgamation of religious beliefs, societal practices, educational and socioeconomic factors, and other influences that shape people’s thoughts and behaviours. Time and place are historically the two key factors influencing the culture. The impact of the internet through access to information from around the globe has increased over the last two decades. In this chapter, the authors attempt to explore the perception of intellectual disability (ID) across cultures using the frameworks of time period, religion, socioeconomics, and geo-ethnic groups. In addition, the influence of the media, particularly digital media, is also explored. The key themes relating to the perception of ID are explored as relevant to healthcare workers, policymakers, and educationalists. Improved awareness of the variability of how people with ID are perceived across different cultures, enables better planning and delivery of care for this most vulnerable population.
Safeguarding the rights of people with intellectual disability across cultures
Authors: Sahadevan Sreeja , Mukherji Kamalika , Kuttichirayil Thomas John , Takon Inyang
Published: November 2023

The rights of people with intellectual disability (ID) across the world have not been prioritized by the mainstream society in many cultural groups. Culture plays an important role in determining the vulnerability to abuse among people with ID. The statistics on the neglect, discrimination, and abuse towards people with ID is often underestimated. Safeguarding, which refers to the ways and means by which society protects the vulnerable, therefore is of paramount importance. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) led to a global awareness of disability inclusion in international, regional, and national development alongside the promotion of the full integration of disabled people in societies. Cultural competence of the professionals in the assessment for safeguarding is key in identifying any violations to the rights and there is a long way forward beyond the UN CRPD guidelines in protecting the rights of people with ID across cultures.
Models of healthcare provision
Authors: Roy Ashok , Jesu Amala , Mendis Jayan , Bakhiet Aisha M. , Roy Meera
Published: November 2023

This chapter looks at the existing models of healthcare for people with intellectual disability (ID) across different parts of the world. The recognition and prevalence of ID is influenced heavily by the societal perception and awareness of ID as a developmental condition. While developed countries have better awareness and better availability of state-funded services that can provide support, the low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries rely on non-governmental organizations and extended family to provide support for people with ID. Some developing countries have proposed innovative models utilizing available resources. However, further research is needed to examine the long-term sustainability of these models of care. It is striking that people with ID have poor access to healthcare provision wherever they live, with the gap being much wider in developing and LAMI countries.
Intellectual disabilities across cultures: The case of South America
Authors: Torales Julio , O’Higgins Marcelo , Castaldelli-Maia João Mauricio
Published: November 2023

Intellectual disability is one of the disabilities with the greatest variation in terms and definitions. The World Health Organization reports that the aetiology of intellectual disability is unknown in 60% of cases. In cases where it can be determined, it can be grouped into four categories: genetic disorders, chromosomal disorders, biological and organic causes, and environmental causes. Approximately 10% of the population of South America has some type of disability. This condition is challenging to assess and address in developing countries due to its stigma and the scarcity of appropriate resources to offer to these patients by public and private entities. South America consists of 12 countries, with some common backgrounds but very diverse multiple areas. There is a variety of cultural groups in each country and different ways of engaging the difficulties that come with intellectual disability. In recent years there has been a substantial increase in efforts to integrate people with intellectual disabilities into different social environments, whether educational, work, sports, and so on. In this sense, multiple efforts have been made by public and private entities and they have had different levels of response.
Intellectual disability services in Australia and New Zealand
Authors: Perera Dhara N. , Elangovan Soman
Published: November 2023

Globally, people with intellectual disability (ID), their carers, and their families experience significant challenges in accessing services. There is a 60% prevalence of major mental illnesses and disorders among people with ID over their lifetime, affecting their functional capacity, presentation to services for health problems, and quality of life. This chapter focuses on the services available for people with ID in Australia and New Zealand. Since there are different models of care and service delivery between the nations, these have been discussed separately. In Australia, the National Disability Insurance Scheme is the primary service provider for people with ID, delivered via the National Disability Insurance Agency. This followed the reform of the previous National Disability Agreement. State-based variations in services have been described separately. There are several publicly funded New Zealand based services by the Ministry of Health that are designed to address the needs of people with ID.
A Narrative Review of Existing and Developing Biomarkers in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury for Potential Military Deployed Use
Authors: Kocik Veronica I , Dengler Bradley A , Rizzo Julie A , MA Moran Margaret , Willis Adam M , April Michael D , Schauer Steven G
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in both adult civilian and military populations. Currently, diagnostic and prognostic methods are limited to imaging and clinical findings. Biomarker measurements offer a potential method to assess head injuries and help predict outcomes, which has a potential benefit to the military, particularly in the deployed setting where imaging modalities are limited. We determine how biomarkers such as ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase-L1 (UCH-L1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S100B, neurofilament light chain (NFL), and tau proteins can offer important information to guide the diagnosis, acute management, and prognosis of TBI, specifically in military personnel.

Materials and Methods

We performed a narrative review of peer-reviewed literature using online databases of Google Scholar and PubMed. We included articles published between 1988 and 2022.

Results

We screened a total of 73 sources finding a total of 39 original research studies that met inclusion for this review. We found five studies that focused on GFAP, four studies that focused on UCH-L1, eight studies that focused on tau proteins, six studies that focused on NFL, and eight studies that focused on S100B. The remainder of the studies included more than one of the biomarkers of interest.

Conclusions

TBI occurs frequently in the military and civilian settings with limited methods to diagnose and prognosticate outcomes. We highlighted several promising biomarkers for these purposes including S100B, UCH-L1, NFL, GFAP, and tau proteins. S100B and UCH-L1 appear to have the strongest data to date, but further research is necessary. The robust data that explain the optimal timing and, more importantly, trending of these biomarker measurements are necessary before widespread application.
Clinical and Genotypic Insights Into Higher Prevalence of Palbociclib Associated Neutropenia in Asian Patients
Authors: Lai Jiun-I , Kuo Ting-Hao , Huang Kuan-Jung , Chai Laura Min Xuan , Lee Mei-Hsuan , Liu Chun-Yu , Tsai Yi-Fang , Huang Chi-Cheng , Tseng Ling-Ming , Hsu Cheng-Chih , Chao Ta-Chung
Published: November 2023

Background

CDK4/6 inhibitors (CDK4/6i) have shown great efficacy in prolonging progression-free survival and is the current standard of care for hormone positive (HR(+)) metastatic breast cancer (mBC). Despite well tolerability and ease of use, the most common side effect of CDK4/6i is myelosuppression, with neutropenia the most prevalent adverse effect. Studies show that the prevalence and severity of neutropenia are more marked in Asian patients, although details remain obscure.

Methods

In this study, we retrospectively analyzed 105 Taiwanese patients who received palbociclib for HR(+) HER2(−) mBC at the Taipei Veterans General Hospital. To investigate a possible genetic association for high prevalence of neutropenia, we queried the Taiwan Biobank with publicly available germline databases (ALFA, gnomAD, ExAC, 1000 Genomes project, HapMap), for the allele frequencies of 4 neutropenia-related SNPs (ABCB1_rs1045642, ABCB1_rs1128503, ERCC1_rs3212986, ERCC1_rs11615) and compared between different ethnicities. In addition, one of the patients was a long-term patient with peritoneal dialysis. We quantified the levels of palbociclib in her serum and peritoneal fluid by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

Results

Interestingly, in our cohort, early neutropenia nadir (occurred within 56 days of start) was associated with worse treatment outcome, while occurrence of grade 3/4 neutropenia was associated with better outcome. We observed an extremely high incidence of neutropenia (96.2% any grade, 70.4% grade 3/4). In the analyzed germline databases, we discovered a higher SNP frequency of the T allele in ABCB1_rs1128503, a lower frequency of T allele in ABCB1_rs1045642, and a higher SNP frequency of G allele in ERCC1_rs11615. We observed that palbociclib levels in peritoneal dialysate ranged from around 20-50 ppb, and serum levels reached 100-110 ppb during drug administration and decreased to <10 ppb during discontinuation.

Conclusion

Our retrospective analysis of real world palbociclib use reveals an association with grade 3/4 neutropenia with better outcome and early neutropenia nadir with worse outcome. Our findings of Asian specific SNPs support a predisposition toward profound and prevalent neutropenia in Asian patients under CDK4/6i. We also report the first pharmacokinetics analysis on a patient with peritoneal dialysis receiving CDK4/6i. In summary, our study provides novel clinical and genotypic insights into CDK4/6i associated neutropenia.
Coping with Stress
Authors: Koenig Harold G. , VanderWeele Tyler J. , Peteet John R.
Published: November 2023

This chapter describes the many ways that people cope with adversity (e.g., active planning, distraction, seeking support from family, friends, etc.), paying particular attention to religious coping (RC). RC involves turning to prayer, seeking support from God and/or one’s faith community, or searching for guidance in the holy scriptures. The prevalence of RC is examined in different parts of the world, such as the United States, the Middle East, parts of Africa, Northern Europe, and China. Research has shown that religious involvement may buffer the effects of negative life experiences on mental health, but not always. Negative forms of religious coping are also examined. The relationship between RC and mental health is a complex one, requiring scientific methodology that is often expensive and difficult to carry out. RC and mental health are not static phenomena, but rather are changing over time and responding to changes in one another.
Suicide
Authors: Koenig Harold G. , VanderWeele Tyler J. , Peteet John R.
Published: November 2023

This chapter examines suicide rates in the United States and other countries throughout world. Suicide rates are increasing despite rapid advances in psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments (and increasing availability of such treatments). The increased suicide risk, particularly in certain segments of the population, has now become a public health problem. The authors speculate whether increasing secularization and reduction of religious involvement might explain a significant portion of the increase in suicide rate in some parts of the world. Systematic research is then reviewed on religion and suicide, including well-designed prospective and experimental studies. The results suggest that religious involvement reduces suicide risk by religious prohibitions against suicide and by the beneficial effects that religion has on factors that cause or prevent suicide. Based on this research, the authors make recommendations for clinicians and clergy on sensitively utilizing patients’ religious resources to help reduce suicide risk.
Delinquency and Crime
Authors: Koenig Harold G. , VanderWeele Tyler J. , Peteet John R.
Published: November 2023

This chapter focuses on the impact of religion on juvenile delinquency and adult crime. The authors first define these terms and then discuss the prevalence, costs, and lifelong consequences of antisocial behaviors of this type. They next examine the causes of delinquency and crime, including genetic, biological, environmental, social, psychological, individual determinants, and gene-environment interactions. The authors then speculate on how religious involvement might prevent the development of delinquency/crime or assist in their treatment, focusing on known determinants. As usual, they summarize research that has examined the relationship between religion and delinquency or crime, with an emphasis on large prospective studies. They examine religious-based programs designed for juvenile delinquents and adult criminals and review their effectiveness. Finally, suggestions for clinical application by health and religious professionals are provided.
Heart Disease
Authors: Koenig Harold G. , VanderWeele Tyler J. , Peteet John R.
Published: November 2023

Heart disease is a disabling, deadly, and costly medical condition. This chapter begins by examining the causes of heart disease, particularly coronary heart disease (CHD). Almost every cause of CHD is affected in one way or another by religious beliefs and practices. Next, the authors hypothesize ways that religious involvement might impact the development and course of CHD through direct and indirect pathways (mostly indirect through psychosocial and behavioral influences). They also review early and more recent quantitative research examining the relationship between religiosity and CHD to identify the role that religious beliefs and practices might play in helping individuals with heart disease to cope with this disabling condition. Recommendations for future research are recommended and applications in the clinic and community are suggested.
Immune Function
Authors: Koenig Harold G. , VanderWeele Tyler J. , Peteet John R.
Published: November 2023

This chapter begins with a description of various molecules, proteins, and cells that make up the immune system. Next, determinants of immune function are reviewed, including demographic influences, biomedical effects, genetic factors, environmental factors, gene-environment interactions, psychological influences (maternal stress, chronic adult stress, traumatic stress, anxiety, negative emotions such as depression, and positive emotions), social factors (social support, social integration, isolation), and behavioral factors (physical activity/exercise, diet, weight, cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol use, illicit drug use). This is followed by a case example and a review of early and recent research on the relationship between religiosity and immune function, studies that examine associations with inflammatory markers, immune cells (number and function), and downstream effects of immune functioning (susceptibility to infection and course of infection). Recommendations for future research are then provided, and application for health professionals and religious professionals are suggested.
Three Sovereigns
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter begins with the important role Native governments play in the lives of their citizens, then highlights the distinctive legal, political, and cultural status of Native nations. It outlines how these governments are broadly situated politically and how they relate both constitutionally and extra-constitutionally to state governments and the federal government. It also includes a discussion of how Native nations are both similar to and different from those of their sovereign neighbors. This chapter aims to provide both the recognition and respect Indigenous governments deserve to be accorded, while at the same time offering a candid and fact-based critique of those aspects of Native governments meriting scrutiny.
Political Organization B.C. (Before Contact)
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter draws broadly from historical, legal, and anthropological literature to show how Indigenous societies were historically organized via extensive kinship networks that utilized clans, reciprocity, and responsibility in their structures and principles. The chapter emphasizes the ideas that are crucial to understanding how Indigenous peoples were organized socially, politically, and culturally before the European arrival. These include freedom, liberty, autonomy, a sense of territorial sovereignty and integrity, an understanding of peoplehood steeped in religious or spiritual understandings, and recognition of the importance of customary and natural law as a guiding force in individual and collective lives. Case studies of the Inuit and Yupic peoples within Alaska, the Tohono O’odham within Arizona and Mexico, and the Fox Nation are included to highlight the many differences in Native societies.
Modern Native Constitutionalism
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter focuses on the dynamic political, legal, educational, cultural, and economic changes that were begun during the Roosevelt Administration. John Collier, Felix S. Cohen, and Nathan Margold were the principal federal officials located in the Department of the Interior who created a series of policies and procedures and helped introduce legislation—of their own accord and at the behest of Native nations—designed to revitalize and stabilize Indigenous sovereignty. During the decade between 1934 and 1944 Native nations begin to generate greater cultural expressions, create constitutional governments, and rebuild their land holdings. This was a time when federal dominance finally relented as Native self-determination was encouraged and supported.
Governing Systems
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter describes and assesses various forms of governance currently utilized by Native nations: constitutions, articles of association (incorporation), general councils, customs and traditions, corporations, charters, and others. The Native nations found ways to adjust to radically altered landscapes after the permanent arrival and mixture of intercultural clashes and coalitions with the newly established Euro-American entities spawned as those settlers established permanent homes in North America. Some Native communities were able to retain essential elements of some of their traditional institutions; in many other cases they made strategic modifications to pre-existing institutions; and a number of them forged completely new institutions to cope with their radically changed environments. The chapter considers the relative strengths and weaknesses of these structural arrangements and examines the persistent tensions that exist as Native nations strive to balance racial identity with culturally and politically based governing systems. Also described is the governmental conflict on reservations that are the shared territories of more than one Tribal nation.
Citizenship and Membership
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter gets into the thorny question of what it means to belong to an Indigenous community. Many Native nations utilize the term “member” to describe those who are formally part of the constituency of a particular Tribal nation and a few use the term “citizen” to describe those who are formally included in the nation’s citizenry. While there is some overlap between the two terms, those terms are not synonymous. A tool used by many Native governments to determine membership or citizenship is “blood quantum:” that is, an individual must somehow be able to prove that they have a sufficient amount of “Indian” or “Tribal” blood in order to be recognized as a member of the community. The typical fractions include 1/8, 1/4, 1/2. This chapter analyzes this complicated and arbitrary tool and discusses how it is sometimes manipulated by Tribal officials if they want to formally disenroll or denationalize a Tribal citizen. It also describes how for many decades the federal government’s Department of the Interior acted as the final arbiter—deciding who belonged as members/citizens in Native nations.
Political Economics
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides a general description and analysis of Indigenous efforts to reestablish and fortify economic sovereignty within their respective homelands. This is essential since most Tribal economies were devastated during the colonial and early American eras, culminating in most Native peoples being concentrated on massively reduced land bases with little or no means to engage in economic practices to maintain sustainable livelihoods. It then focuses on several key political economic practices that have enabled many to stabilize their economies and even grow them. Case studies include (1) taxation programs, (2) gaming operations, (3) Indigenous land acquisitions and development, (4) energy development (i.e., coal, gas, oil, and uranium), (5) natural economics, including buffalo ranching and marijuana/hemp businesses, and (6) renewable energy, including wind and solar power.
Indian Country Justice
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter provides an overview of how justice is administered across Indian Country in the nearly 400 Tribal court systems that are in operation. Tribal courts deal with many critical issues, including contracts, child welfare, zoning, natural resources, elections, ethics, malfeasance and misfeasance, membership, gaming, and others. Historically, Native societies operated through a cultural lens of kinship in which justice was pursued in a generally non-coercive fashion. Federal officials introduced the adversarial approach in the 1880s through the establishment of Courts of Indian Offenses by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in coordination with the local Indian agent. The chapter then discusses how many Native nations, beginning in the 1930s, created their own court systems to deal with local issues. It then provides case studies of several Native nations and their judicial systems, including judicial review, appointment procedures, and grounds for removal of Tribal judges. It ends with a discussion of the increasing numbers of nations that are reviving traditional justice systems that are based on peacemaking and restorative justice, meaning they are grounded in trust and support rather than merely meting out punishment.
Conclusion
Authors: Wilkins David E.
Published: November 2023

This chapter recaps the book’s major ideas, questions, and themes. It then addresses some of the positive features of Indigenous governance and explains why they are so vitally important to their constituencies and their neighboring polities. It then describes some of the more daunting challenges these governments face and explains why some Native governments are more effective than others in providing the services and protections their citizens need and expect. Finally, it outlines a number of recommendations to strengthen, clarify, and improve Indigenous governance. The relationship, for example, between traditionalism and cultural integrity is critical as Native governments look to represent their constituencies more effectively, while at the same time exercising the capacity and political acumen necessary to deal effectively with local, state, federal governments, the corporate world, and the non-Native public
Of Birds, Ballerinas, and Other Creatures
Authors: Alonso-Minutti Ana R.
Published: November 2023

This chapter focuses on a group of Lavista’s solo, chamber, and orchestral pieces that establish a connection with literary texts, pictorial works (paintings, drawings, and installations), and dance. It opens with a discussion of pieces that present intertextuality at play involving Gerhart Muench, Ezra Pound, and Jorge Luis Borges, among others. It also offers an exploration of compositions where Lavista responded to paintings or envisioned music to accompany art installations; one of these works was done in conjunction with Tambuco and Carmen Thierry for Ricardo Mazal’s exhibition, Kailash. The metaphor of mirrors—the central concept of the present volume—is useful for grasping the ways in which each intertext bounces back to another. In each bounce—or reflection—a spiral of meaning is drawn. Dance had a significant place in Lavista’s life. His connection with dance became even stronger when his only daughter, Claudia Lavista, became a dancer and choreographer. The chapter also explores the intertextual possibilities that arise by incorporating previously composed music into new compositions. In doing so, Lavista transformed the past of his previous works by giving them new meaning and a new future.
Relevant Theoretical and Research Frameworks for Understanding Emerging Adulthood and the Development of the Current Study
Authors: Shulman Shmuel
Published: November 2023

The lives of emerging adults seem to be characterized by lack of commitment to a current job or relationship and lack of long-term articulated goals. It has been theorized that nowadays young people continue to explore their identity, and until this process is complete, they are self-focused and unstable. Although this theory is widely accepted, there is no indication of whether the long-term outcomes are more beneficial to those who were involved in identity exploration for many years. Based on earlier follow-up studies of emerging adults, the author learned that there is not one linear route to adulthood. Individuals may take different routes, and these routes might differ in the clarity of the goals that guide the pursuit, the pace taken, and the changes made along the road. These insights led to the inception of a 12-year study to better understand how young people navigate to adulthood.
Aspirations, Flourishing, and Compromises
Authors: Shulman Shmuel
Published: November 2023

The typology of the different career pursuit pathways showed that not all young adults are able to pursue their aspired or adapted career goal. Some had to compromise and settle for the job that was available, though this did not meet earlier expectations. Following participants until the age of 35 suggested that those who made compromises exhibited reasonable capacities to handle work-related demands, which helped them remain stable in their jobs and contributed to their financial security and sense of confidence in a job that was not their dream. It was interesting to observe that they employed additional mechanisms to stabilize their lives. They either started to explore new options that might develop into a dream or became invested in a hobby they enjoy and that has probably become a source of fulfillment. In sum, the processes of adaptation and growth continue over time.
The Harms of Gentrification
Authors: Sundstrom Ronald R.
Published: November 2023

The harms of gentrification are typically associated with displacement, and this chapter categorizes these objections as involving (1) distributive inequalities, (2) loss of community character, and (3) social inequalities. The first and third categories of harm are grave injustices and the source of enduring inequality. The second category of injury, the loss of community character, is essentially a stand-in for the disadvantages of social inequality. In response to standard views of these harms, this chapter maintains that groups do not have legitimate claims to any territory based on social identity alone. It explains that these harms are deeply related to the history of racial segregation and discrimination in housing. To address this enduring injustice, it argues that corrective justice is due to those who currently suffer the ill effects of segregation, concentrated disadvantage, and concentrated poverty.
Relevance
Authors: Dancy Tatiana
Published: November 2023

A policy that imposes costs upon some people may be justifiable, if its implementation will realize some benefit—perhaps by allowing others to avoid the more significant costs that they would suffer under an alternative policy. But there must be good reasons for thinking that the policy will have this effect. Chapter 2 concerns this requirement—to identify a rational link between the policy as formulated and certain benefits. Statistical algorithms can help to meet this requirement, by predicting how certain facts will affect the target variable. But whether they do have this effect depends upon how data have been gathered and analysed, and how outputs have been translated into decisions about what to do.
Choice
Authors: Dancy Tatiana
Published: November 2023

Chapter 4 argues that we can have good reasons to value the opportunity to choose—to want what happens to us to depend upon how we behave when presented with alternatives. These reasons are not all egalitarian in nature, and the concerns that they raise cannot always be met by minimizing differences between people. Chapter 4 argues that these reasons weigh against policies of algorithmic decision-making that allocate burdens on the basis of predictions about our conduct that are derived from facts such as family background or social circumstance—facts that do not stem from our choices, over which we may have little or no influence.