bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How to Deal with Values in Political Science?
Authors: Van Bouwel Jeroen
Published: February 2023

In this chapter, I review different ways of dealing with values in science that philosophers have developed. I also examine how these play out in practice in contemporary political science debates. In particular, I scrutinize transparency (analyzing the Data Access and Research Transparency [DA-RT] debate in political science), representativeness (using research on central banking as an example), and citizen engagement (considered in International Political Economy) as three conditions to make the influence of values in science justifiable. Doing so, I defend strategies of dealing with values that go beyond the individual researcher, rather focusing on the role social-epistemic processes play in improving our collective epistemic practices and outputs. Hopefully, this chapter will engage political scientists to reflect on their strategies of dealing with value influences in science as well as help philosophers further developing these strategies—which would benefit from more social and political analysis.
Rational Choice Explanations in Political Science
Authors: Herfeld Catherine , Marx Johannes
Published: February 2023

In this chapter, it is described and assessed how political scientists use rational choice theories to offer causal explanations. We observe that the ways in which rational choice theories are considered to be successful in political science differs, depending on the explanandum in question. Political scientists use empirical variants of rational choice theories to explain the political behavior of individual agents and analytical variants to explain the behavior of collective actors. Both variants are used for distinct explananda, which ask for different modes of explanation that raise in turn different explanatory demands toward rational choice theories. We argue that when political scientists discuss the explanatory usefulness of rational choice theories, they should assess them in light of the demands they are supposed to meet. This would enable a more nuanced and problem-oriented appraisal of rational choice theories in political science.
Nineteen Kinds of Theories about Mechanisms that Every Social Science Graduate Student Should Know
Authors: Bennett Andrew , Mishkin Benjamin
Published: February 2023

This article builds upon discussions among philosophers of science, methodologists, and practicing social scientists on explanation via causal mechanisms by asking a pragmatic question: What theories about mechanisms do social scientists and social actors find most useful? We focus on what Robert Merton called “theories of the middle range,” in contrast to both grand theoretical schools of thought and fine-grained theories on processes like brain chemistry. This includes a review of several key theories on within-agent mechanisms prominent in social science research: rational choice; cognitive heuristics and biases; information processing/cognitive styles; aging/life cycle effects; personality types; the role of emotions; and substantive beliefs. It then outlines a taxonomy of middle-range theories about social mechanisms that serves as a useful checklist to help researchers and social actors ensure that they do not leave out viable alternative explanations of the phenomena they are studying or trying to influence. The taxonomy includes within-agent, agent-agent, agent- structure, structure-agent, and structure-structure theories on ideas/identities, material power, and institutions.
Conceptualizing and Measuring Democracy
Authors: Crasnow Sharon
Published: February 2023

Abstract: Research on democracy frequently depends on indices that can be understood as representing measures of democracy. Because democracy is an abstract, contested, and value-laden concept, as are many concepts in the social sciences, any project that seeks to provide its measure must face a number of challenges. This chapter explores the extent to which the Varieties of Democracy Project (V-Dem) is able to meet those challenges through the use of several key conceptual tools from the research on measurement in philosophy of science.
Hormonal Mechanisms of In-Pair Mating and Maintenance
Authors: Denes Amanda , Crowley John P. , Dhillon Anuraj
Published: February 2023

The present chapter provides a review of research addressing the hormonal mechanisms of in-pair mating and maintenance. Using the integrative model of relationship maintenance as a guiding framework, the chapter explores relational maintenance processes at the interactive or relational level and their hormonal correlates. Specifically, the chapter explores interactive maintenance strategies aimed at mitigating relationship threat, which include conflict management, forgiveness, sacrifice, facilitation, and dyadic coping; and those aimed at relationship enhancement, which include communication, relationship talk, social support/responsiveness, humor, and joint leisure activities. Each of these strategies is then linked to research on three hormones of interest when exploring social relationships: testosterone, oxytocin, and cortisol. The chapter concludes with a summary of research on these three hormones and relationship maintenance, as well as by providing future directions for researchers interested in exploring the hormonal mechanisms of in-pair mating and maintenance.
Intimate Partner Violence and Relationship Maintenance
Authors: Gallup Gordon G. , Burch Rebecca L.
Published: February 2023

In a recent study of spouse abuse in the context of human reproductive competition, Burch and Gallup found that male sexual jealousy accounted for far more variance in different parameters of spouse abuse than the use of alcohol, drugs, or lack of financial resources combined. Coupled with these findings, our model of intimate partner violence centers around four evolved, sequentially dependent strategies that men use to increase the likelihood of paternity and investing in children that are genetically their own. These strategies include preventing partner insemination by rival males, counter insemination tactics such as sperm competition and semen displacement, pregnancy termination strategies, and differential investment in children as a function of phenotypic evidence for shared genes. By focusing on variation in paternal resemblance which includes differences in the degree to which fathers and children look, act, or think alike, we provide novel research predictions and specific recommendations for steps that can be taken to minimize family violence and promote paternal investment.
Parenting and Relationship Maintenance
Authors: Westrupp Elizabeth M. , Marshall Emma M. , Bennett Clair , Benstead Michelle , King Gabriella , Karantzas Gery C.
Published: February 2023

The transition to parenthood represents one of the greatest potential stressors that the romantic couple relationship will experience. This chapter examines the role of individual vulnerability factors, environmental stressors, individual psychological responses, and couple relationship functioning in negatively impacting the maintenance and quality of the couple bond within the context of parenthood. We propose and then structure a summary of the current research evidence around a conceptual model of relationship maintenance that integrates an evolutionary psychology perspective—namely, attachment theory—to complement other relationship science and developmental perspectives. We show that individual differences in adult attachment are associated with relationship functioning (i.e., levels of support and conflict between partners), which, in turn, predict relationship outcomes related to the maintenance of romantic relationships (i.e., couple relationship quality and dissolution), and that the environmental stressors in and around parenthood can exacerbate these associations. Specifically, we highlight research showing that attachment insecurity (i.e., higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance) is associated with poorer relationship functioning and outcomes.
Cultural Variation in Relationship Maintenance
Authors: Adair Lora , Ferenczi Nelli
Published: February 2023

Romantic love appears to be a part of the shared human experience—with nearly all studied cultures evidencing intimate and romantic pair-bonding. This work focuses on a growing area of research on romantic relationship maintenance, employing an evolutionary perspective and positioning the maintenance and longevity of romantic relationships as important for survival and reproduction throughout human history. This chapter explores which evolved psychological mechanisms help to preserve our relationships, how individuals from various cultures maintain relationship satisfaction and longevity, and how local environments interact with our evolved psychologies to produce unique relationship maintenance behaviors and cognitions. We use sociocultural and socioecological perspectives contextualize research findings on relationship maintenance behaviors and cognitions across cultures—investigating the relationships among ecology, culture, and romantic relationship behaviors and outcomes. Specifically, we use factors like historical subsistence type and residential mobility to explain sources of cultural variability in relationship maintenance mechanisms. For example, historical rice subsistence creates ecological demands for coordinated and collaborative efforts among social group members, which in turn favor the development of specific cultural practices and norms, such as the interdependent self. In these contexts, families become sources of romantic advice, and familial approval is situated as an essential criterion for relationship persistence. We acknowledge the dynamic relationship between ecologies, cultures, and romantic relationships as we review contemporary literature about motivational processes. We discuss future research directions with an emphasis on critically evaluating the Euro-American, heteronormative, and patriarchal biases present in relationship research and theory.
Affective Reactions to Divorce or Spousal Death
Authors: Brodbeck Jeannette , Znoj Hans Joerg
Published: February 2023

This chapter explores similarities and differences in emotional reactions, physical and mental health consequences, and coping after the breakup of a long-term romantic relationship and spousal death. We employ an attachment perspective and argue that the core of both events is the activation of the attachment system and a separation reaction that result in similar affective reactions including grief, anger, and anxiety. Even though the most frequent long-term adaptation to partner loss is resilience, both events increase the risk for mental and physical health problems and higher mortality. Separation/divorce and spousal death require an attachment reorganization and share adaptation tasks such as creating a new life and identity without the partner and transforming the bond with the lost person. Furthermore, the established dual process model of coping with bereavement is applicable for both events. This is supported by the results of an online self-help program for prolonged grief that indicate that separated and widowed individuals benefit from the same interventions. Despite these similarities, theory and research related to separation/divorce and spousal death have traditionally been separate. We argue that it is fruitful to integrate these research traditions into a broader conceptual framework of separation and loss. Future research should empirically test similarities and differences in affective reactions, challenges, and coping strategies and identify optimal ways of intervention and prevention. For this purpose, we discuss how social media or virtual reality offer new opportunities for coping but also how they may prolong the process of adaptation.
Affective Self-Regulation After Relationship Dissolution
Authors: LeFebvre Leah E. , Rasner Ryan D.
Published: February 2023

Breakups are among the most distressing occurrences in life. The affective responses to and recovery from relationship dissolution are multifaceted. Scholarship investigating relationship dissolution and the ensuing processes that follow has come a long way in facilitating a more holistic understanding of affect. These findings have driven empirical and theoretical research exploring important intersections around distress and adjustment, while illuminating the need to replicate and expand findings to more diverse populations. This chapter highlights common variables and questions in empirical relationship dissolution research including dissolution strategies (unilateral and bilateral), breakup roles (initiator and noninitiator), sex differences (reasons and roles), time (relationship length and adjustment), age (life span), and relationship redefinition (continuance or termination). These moderating variables have been studied to understand affective responses to relationship dissolution, yet they fail to fully delineate the complex structures that individuals and couples encounter. This chapter concludes by outlining and discussing gaps in prior scholarship and providing evolutionary extensions for relationship dissolution related to contemporary dating practices. The emergent lexicon of the dissolution process extends conventional metrics stability regarding development, intimacy, and commitment of interpersonal relationships. We discuss future areas for applying an evolutionary psychological perspective and offer a unifying narrative around distress, adjustment, and the moderating variables that call attention to the complex process of romantic relationship dissolution.
Relationship Initiation Among Older Adults
Authors: Koren Chaya , Ayalon Liat
Published: February 2023

Relationships are desired at any age including later in life among older adults. This chapter provides a broad overview of relationship initiation (i.e., entering a new relationship) in the second half of life among older persons. The chapter reviews sociocultural and inter/intrapersonal factors that shape relationship initiation among older adults, including the influence of individualistic/collectivistic cultural values, the presence of children and grandchildren, the living arrangement, and the health conditions of the partners. We frame our discussion using a psychosocial ecological framework and several contemporary theories of aging, including successful aging theory and socioemotional selectivity. We conclude the chapter with suggestions for future research, which take into account the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and explore the experiences of different older age groups (65–74; 75–84; and 85+). Moreover, although the use of technology for dating purposes among older adults has been studied extensively, what is still missing is information about the use of technology across different cultures and for purposes other than dating, such as sexual pleasure.
Sufficiency, Equality, and Human Rights
Authors: Moyn Samuel
Published: February 2023

Economic and social rights name sufficiency norms. These are distinct from equality norms, conceptually as well as practically. As a matter of logic, to remedy insufficiency is to challenge inequality only indirectly—or not at all. Of course, it is conceivable that pursuing sufficient provision will have egalitarian effects. But it is equally possible that sufficient provision is accompanied by no changes in or even expansion of inequality. It is for this reason that the pursuit of economic and social rights can function compatibly with the maintenance and even expansion of distributional inequality, whether within or across nations.
Self-Determination Theory
Authors: Ryan Richard M. , Vansteenkiste Maarten
Published: February 2023

Self-determination theory (SDT) represents a comprehensive framework for the study of human motivation, personality development, and wellness as evidenced by the breadth and variety of chapters in this Handbook. This introductory chapter provides a review of the basic assumptions, philosophy of science, methods, and mission of SDT. It also includes a brief history of SDT, linking various developments within the theory to the contributions found in this volume. Finally, discussion focuses on the place of SDT within the landscape of past and contemporary theoretical psychology, as well as its relations with modern historical and cultural developments, in part explaining the continued growth of interest in SDT’s basic research and real-world applications.
Autonomy-Supportive Behaviors
Authors: Mageau Geneviève A. , Joussemet Mireille
Published: February 2023

Autonomy support (AS), or autonomy-supportive behavior (AS behavior), is a key ingredient of high-quality hierarchical relationships. Yet how parents and other authority figures can support children’s autonomy—that is, their volitional functioning—in various daily situations remains unclear as AS operationalizations have differed across studies. In an effort to further our understanding of AS behaviors, this chapter highlights their common features (i.e., empathic, informational, and supportive of active participation) as well as their variability. It proposes that AS behaviors may have varied across studies because volition is derived from two different processes (i.e., intrinsic motivation and internalization) and that different AS behaviors may be needed to effectively support volitional functioning originating from each of these processes. Guided by Grusec and Davidov’s domains-of-socialization framework, the chapter argues that intrinsic motivation and internalization are likely to operate differently across domains of socialization, which could account for the variability of AS behaviors. Adopting a domain-specific approach to socialization may thus prove useful to clarify how parents can support their children’s volitional functioning across daily socialization challenges.
Self-Determination Theory and Language Learning
Authors: Noels Kimberly A.
Published: February 2023

This chapter reviews the burgeoning research conducted from a self-determination theory (SDT) perspective concerning people’s motivation for learning new languages. To guide the review, a conceptual model of motivational processes, grounded in SDT principles, is presented. The model highlights the central role of basic psychological needs in motivational dynamics, including behavioral regulation (or orientations) and engagement, and ultimately the diverse outcomes that follow from language learning. These resultant resources include not only linguistic proficiency but also sociocultural (e.g., relationships with members of the target ethnolinguistic community, a broader cultural perspective) and psychological (e.g., well-being, personal growth) capital. The model emphasizes that language learning takes place across diverse sociopolitical and sociocultural milieu and that, depending on the context, teachers, family members, members of the target-language community, and many others could support (or not) learners’ motivation. The chapter ends with directions for future interdisciplinary research on language learning and teaching from a SDT perspective.
Facilitating Health Behavior Change
Authors: Ntoumanis Nikos , Moller Arlen C.
Published: February 2023

Over the past decade, research applying self-determination theory (SDT) in the health domain has been prolific, arguably more so than in any other applied domain. This chapter reviews the evidence, both empirical and meta-analytic, on the application of SDT to promote health outcomes and behaviors. These behaviors range from simple and infrequent (e.g., receiving vaccinations) to complex behaviors repeated or abstained from over long periods of time (e.g., consuming healthy foods, engaging in physical activity, abstaining from smoking and excessive alcohol use). The chapter also reviews a recent classification system of motivation and behavior change techniques (MBCTs), and discusses the use of rewards to incentivize health behaviors and the significance of interventions shifting from in-person, face-to-face delivery to digital delivery formats. Numerous suggestions are offered for future theoretical and applied research, spanning conceptual, empirical, and methodological issues
Autonomy Support and Autonomous Motivation
Authors: Zuroff David C. , Koestner Richard
Published: February 2023

In this chapter, autonomy support and autonomous motivation are conceptualized as common factors influencing process and outcome in diverse psychotherapies for a broad range of disorders. Points of convergence with the well-documented common factors of the therapeutic alliance and the Rogerian conditions are identified, as well as potential roles of the self-determination theory (SDT) variables in the three pathways of Wampold and Imel’s contextual model of psychotherapy. Reviews of studies of heterogeneous outpatients, depressed outpatients, patients with substance abuse disorders, and patients with eating disorders provide consistent support for the core hypotheses that autonomy support enhances autonomous motivation for treatment, and that autonomous motivation for treatment leads to better outcomes. Methodological limitations of the existing literature are enumerated, and directions for future research are described. SDT provides a powerful framework for identifying common factors and enhancing knowledge of variability in psychotherapy process and outcome.
Flourishing in Digital Environments
Authors: Rigby C. Scott
Published: February 2023

Interactive media has taken a central role in modern life, with billions of hours spent each day viewing content, playing games, communicating in social media, and engaging with myriad digital apps throughout both work and leisure time. Given this prevalence, reasonable debates have emerged about the impact of interactive media on well-being—both of individuals and of society—and how these needs for well-being can be reconciled with the commercial interests of companies building interactive media. In this chapter self-determination theory (SDT) is reviewed as a promising model for understanding the experiential dynamics of interactive media and their effects on well-being, providing guidance to individual users and interactive media designers alike. SDT is viewed as a framework to reconcile well-being concerns and economic interests, providing practical tools and a moral structure to the benefit of both individuals and industry. As such, SDT can be deployed in multiple modalities, including as a guiding framework for design of interactive digital environments; as a technology itself, integrating scalable measurement of need fulfillment and support into interactive products and services; and as a set of quantifiable moral constructs that can guide regulatory policies and practice.
A Group-Conscious Approach to Basic Psychological Needs Theory
Authors: Kachanoff Frank J.
Published: February 2023

Basic psychological needs theory (BPNT) proposes that humans have basic organismic needs to feel autonomous, related, and competent. Deprivation or frustration of these needs results in diminished well-being. This chapter describes how BPNT has traditionally taken an individual-focused approach by considering whether individuals personally feel that their own needs are nourished within their social context. It then outlines and reviews support for a group-conscious BPNT approach. This approach considers how an individual’s psychological need satisfaction is impacted by whether they perceive the psychological needs of other group members, and their group as a whole, to be satisfied. The chapter concludes with implications and future directions.
Evaluating Cultural Value
Authors: Walmsley Ben
Published: February 2023

Cultural value is an elusive and political concept that presents a number of significant research, policy, and management-related challenges. In order to address these challenges and move the related debates forwards, this chapter outlines and deconstructs the core questions and issues involved in processes of arts and cultural evaluation. It explores the etymology of evaluation, critically appraises competing and complementary approaches to cultural evaluation, and analyzes the policy and methodological tensions that have consistently plagued attempts to value and evaluate cultural participation and engagement. Following a critical review of the relevant academic and policy literature, the chapter presents three short case studies drawn from England and Canada. It concludes with a call for multidimensional, people-centered models of cultural evaluation that encompass diversity and polyvocalism and embrace complexity.
Framing Nonprofit Arts and Culture Sectors Through Economic Theory
Authors: Seaman Bruce A.
Published: February 2023

The 1960’s contributions from Baumol and Bowen (1965, 1966) and Peacock (1969) were followed in the 1970s by Blaug (1976), Throsby and Withers (1979), and the inaugural issue (1977) of the nascent Journal of Cultural Economics. These developments generated understandable enthusiasm about the application of economics to the nonprofit arts and culture sector. Over a half century of experience with increasingly sophisticated efforts has both confirmed and tempered that enthusiasm. To critics who call for a “heterodox” approach, the tools of positive and normative (welfare) economics are simply inadequate to the task of addressing this dramatically evolving sector. This chapter narrows the focus of this debate largely to economic contributions to understanding arts/culture participation and the identification of relevant product and geographic market competitors; substitution versus complementary relationships in the allocation of time among entertainment options; and pricing and other revenue-generating strategies. Cultural economics has long been open to the contributions of nontraditional economic methods and the research of non-economists in the spirit of, for example, behavioral and Austrian economics, suggesting that further methodological reform rather than revolution is what is warranted.
Mapping Theories in Arts and Cultural Management Research
Authors: Keeney Kate , Jung Yuha
Published: February 2023

Arts and cultural management draws from interdisciplinary theories that are widely used in the fields of business administration, public and nonprofit management, and sociology. Yet researchers have identified that there is very little theorizing of arts organizations going on in the field of arts management. Framed by Bourdieu’s theory of practice, this research employs a targeted literature review and analysis to extend understanding of theoretical application in arts management research. More specifically, this work sheds light on theories used in arts and cultural research, identifies theoretical contributions by their disciplinary origins and use, and suggests broader theoretical adoption in arts management education and practice. Theory-based evidence formed through repeated and empirical observation allows for organizations to predict new issues and be confident in addressing them, adapting in response to the shifting needs of changing populations and external environments. Findings provide a theoretical grounding for extant arts management research and applications for education and practice.
Violence Risk Assessment and Management
Authors: Hart Stephen D. , Douglas Kevin S.
Published: February 2023

In this chapter, we provide an overview of the “state of the field” with respect to the topic of violence risk. The chapter is divided into four sections. In the first section, we define and discuss the concept of violence risk and discuss the importance of violence risk assessment and management in psychology and law. In the second section, we summarize research on violence risk, including both applied and experimental research. In the third section, we consider legal views and treatment of violence risk, focusing primarily (but not exclusively) on statutory and case law from the United States. Finally, in the fourth section, we make recommendations for research, practice, and public policy concerning violence risk.
Treating Justice-Involved Populations with Severe Mental Illness
Authors: Morgan Robert D. , Scanlon Faith , Mattera Jessica , Leggett McCown
Published: February 2023

This chapter outlines several topics relevant to the treatment of justice-involved persons with serious mental illness (SMI). We begin with a historical overview, detailing previous work in conceptualizing and treating this population, followed by a review of contemporary practices and strategies. We describe the proposed co-occurring and reciprocal relation between mental illness and criminal risk, and discuss implications for correctional rehabilitation and psychiatric recovery. Building on the five-level model of risk assessment, we propose an integrated assessment model to advance service matching and delivery for justice-involved persons with SMI, an expansion necessary for holistic consideration of this population’s needs. Finally, we provide recommendations for practice and future research addressing co-occurring criminal risk and mental illness to enhance services for this underserved population.
Expert Psychological Testimony
Authors: Cutler Brian L. , Krauss Daniel A.
Published: February 2023

Psychologists offer expert testimony on a variety of psychological topics in civil, criminal, and family law cases, and this testimony is often challenged by the opposing party. The laws and procedures governing the admissibility of expert psychological testimony are the same ones that determine the admissibility of other forms of expert testimony. The content of expert psychological testimony may include expert opinions about mental states relevant to legal proceedings (e.g., a criminal defendant’s mental state at the time of offense), or it may be used to educate the fact-finders about scientific research findings (e.g., research on mistaken eyewitness identification). Considerable psychological research has investigated matters such as the need for expert psychological testimony and bias among experts in the adversarial system. Psychologists serving as expert witnesses must be aware of and sensitive to ethical issues governing their practices with a number of professional associations providing ethical guidelines for expert witnesses.
Psychology and Law, Meet Open Science
Authors: McAuliff Bradley D. , Fessinger Melanie B. , Perillo Anthony D. , Perillo Jennifer T.
Published: February 2023

As the field of psychology and law begins to embrace more transparent and accessible science, many questions arise about what open science actually is and how to do it. In this chapter, we contextualize this reform by examining fundamental concerns about psychological research—irreproducibility and replication failures, false-positive errors, and questionable research practices—that threaten its validity and credibility. Next, we turn to psychology’s response by reviewing the concept of open science and explaining how to implement specific practices—preregistration, registered reports, open materials/data/code, and open access publishing—designed to make research more transparent and accessible. We conclude by weighing the implications of open science for the field of psychology and law, specifically with respect to how we conduct and evaluate research, as well as how we train the next generation of psychological scientists and share scientific findings in applied settings.
Literate Culture and Cognition
Authors: Kim Yoolim , Morin Olivier
Published: February 2023

A very recent phenomenon in the cultural history of our species, the invention of literacy was a milestone for many cultures. For anyone who looks at cultural evolution through the prism of extended cognition, the rise of writing must count as the most important event in the evolution of information processing. The idea that literacy resulted in fundamental changes for culture and cognition is not new but continues to stir interest. First theorized by anthropologists, historians, and semiologists, the literacy thesis contends that a key factor shaping cognition is the spread of alphabetic literacy. This chapter reconsiders the thesis in light of past and contemporary work in cognitive science and cultural evolution. In the first section, the chapter offers a brief history of the literacy thesis, outlining its major contributions and shortcomings. Ethnographic and experimental case studies generally fell short of showing that alphabetic literacy had specific, widespread, and profound cognitive effects, leading proponents of the literacy thesis either to dilute it or to restrict it. In the second section we explore the potential contributions of taking a more cognitive and evolutionary approach to this debate. The cultural recycling hypothesis as well as the literature on the effects of literacy on developing phonemic awareness offer two such avenues through which we can re-evaluate the validity of the literacy thesis.
Gene–Culture Coevolution in the Cognitive Domain
Authors: Lotem Arnon , Kolodny Oren , Arbilly Michal
Published: February 2023

Gene–culture coevolution in the cognitive domain is expected to occur whenever cultural phenomena select for genes that affect cognition. Such cultural selection would occur, for example, if the culture of making certain tools leads to selection that favours genetic variants that somehow make one better at learning to make these tools. While these coevolutionary processes seem probable and important, they are difficult to study because the genetic underpinnings of cognitive traits are often poorly understood. Indeed, most evidence for cognitive gene–culture coevolution are circumstantial or indirect, and the role of such processes is often a topic of debate. This chapter suggests, however, that a strong case for cognitive gene–culture coevolution can be made based on theoretical considerations, which can also guide future work and put current evidence in context. Using a process-based (mechanistic) approach to cognitive evolution, the authors distinguish between culturally selected genetic changes in innate knowledge, culturally selected genetic changes in attentional and learning mechanisms, and culturally selected genetic changes in the neuroanatomical substrate. In this light, the authors suggest a limited role to hypothesized culturally selected modules requiring complex innate knowledge. On the other hand, culturally selected modifications of attentional and learning parameters may be significant because they can jointly handle the computational challenges involved in the construction of complex cognitive representations. In turn, the development of such representations (in the form of associative networks), sets the demand for culturally selected changes in size and structure of neuroanatomical substrate, for which some evidence is accumulating.
Energy of the boundary of spacetime
Authors: Hamada Yu , Matsumoto Nobuyuki
Published: February 2023

We consider how the energy can be stored in the boundary of spacetime, in particular in a spherical bubble that can be made by a quantum gravitational process. Our calculation is performed within the framework of classical Einstein gravity by identifying the Gibbons–Hawking–York term as the membrane action. We show that the energy of the bubble can be given consistently with the Schwarzschild metric. The solution of the consistency condition suggests positive membrane tension, which explains why we do not observe such topological defects in ordinary experiences and also gives a mechanism for suppressing the spacetime with the boundary in a dynamical way.
Glucocorticoid exposure and the risk of serious infections in rheumatoid arthritis: a marginal structural model application
Authors: Barbulescu Andrei , Sjölander Arvid , Delcoigne Bénédicte , Askling Johan , Frisell Thomas
Published: February 2023

Objective

Observational studies have reported an increased risk of infections associated with glucocorticoids in RA, not supported by evidence from randomized controlled trials. Inappropriately accommodating time-varying exposure and confounding in observational studies might explain the conflicting results. Therefore, we compared the incidence of serious infections between different oral glucocorticoid dose patterns over three years in a prospective inception cohort, adjusting for time-varying confounders in marginal structural models.

Methods

We included 9654 newly diagnosed RA patients from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register between 2007–2018 and followed them for three years after the first rheumatology visit. Follow-up was divided into 90-day periods. A mean oral prednisone daily dose was calculated for each period and categorized into ‘no use’, ‘low’ (≤10 mg/day) and ‘high’ (>10 mg/day) doses. The incidence of serious infections (hospitalization for infection) over follow-up periods was modelled by pooled logistic regression allowing separate effects for recent and past exposure.

Results

An increased incidence of serious infections was associated with higher compared with lower doses and with more recent compared with past glucocorticoid exposure. Over 3 years of follow-up, the marginal structural models predicted one additional serious infection for every 83 individuals treated with low GC doses for the first 6 months, and for every 125 individuals treated with high GC doses for the first 3 months, compared with no GC use.

Conclusion

Our results broadly agree with previous observational studies showing a dose dependent increased risk of infection associated with (recent) use of oral glucocorticoids.
Intersensory Experiences of the Plague in Seventeenth-Century London
Authors: Turner Claire
Published: February 2023

This article contends that intersensory experiences of the plague are key to comprehending how the inhabitants of seventeenth-century London understood outbreaks of epidemic disease. Interplay between the senses influenced how people understood the processes of disease transmission, the vulnerability of bodies to contract disease and disease prevention. Previous research into the sensory histories of the plague has focused on smell and touch as isolated sensory phenomena. In doing so, studies have tended to suggest that the plague was understood as either an airborne or contagious disease. An intersensory approach reveals that this binary between miasma and contagion was not so clear cut. People navigated their relationships with their bodies, neighbours and the city via a complex web of understandings of epidemic disease, many of which were born out of interactions between the senses.
Osteoporosis Drug Increases Hypocalcemia Risk in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Aschenbrenner Diane S.
Published: February 2023

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a Drug Safety Communication regarding the osteoporosis drug denosumab (Prolia). The communication warns of an increased risk of significant hypocalcemia with denosumab use in patients with advanced kidney disease, especially if they also receive dialysis.

Nurses and NPs need to assess for hypocalcemia in patients with advanced kidney disease who receive denosumab. Patient education concerning the need for calcium and vitamin D supplements and repeated laboratory monitoring is crucial.
Low-Dose Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin for Thromboprophylaxis During Pregnancy
Authors: Rosenberg Karen
Published: February 2023

According to this study:

In women who have a history of venous thromboembolism, weight-adjusted intermediate-dose low-molecular-weight heparin during the combined antepartum and postpartum periods didn't reduce the risk of recurrence compared with fixed low-dose low-molecular-weight heparin.

Further study is needed to determine whether intermediate-dose low-molecular-weight heparin may be more effective than low-dose low-molecular-weight heparin during the postpartum period.
ABCDEFGHI Systematic Approach to wound assessment and management
Authors: Hunt Sarah C. , Azad Sanjay
Published: February 2023

The ABCDEFGHI approach introduces a systematic approach to wound care. It instructs the clinician to
A
sk pertinent questions, including those that may identify local and systemic
B
arriers to wound healing. After obtaining a thorough history, the clinician may proceed to
C
lean the wound and
D
o a physical examination, specifically looking for
E
xposed structures and
F
actors that will complicate the healing process.
G
ood
H
ealing strategies involving various dressings can then be implemented to promote healing. If necessary, a referral can be made to
I
nvolve specialists using various referral pathways. Information used to synthesize this approach was obtained through a review of national and international guidelines and Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases. The ABCDEFGHI approach to wound assessment and management is a simple and easy-to-follow guide that can be easily implemented into practice, thereby improving clinician confidence and competence in wound care.
Retrograde Nailing for Extremely Proximal Fractures of the Femoral Shaft
Authors: Nino Samantha , Courington Reese , Brooks Patrick , Langford Joshua , Haidukewych George
Published: February 2023

Objectives:

To report the results of retrograde intramedullary nailing (RIMN) for the treatment of extremely proximal femur fractures.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting:

Level I trauma center.

Patients/Participants:

63 patients with femoral shaft fractures involving the anatomic region within 10 centimeters of the inferior border of the lesser trochanter, which were treated with retrograde intramedullary nailing.

Intervention:

Retrograde intramedullary femoral nail.

Main Outcome Measurements:

Time to union, nonunion, malunion, and unplanned reoperation.

Results:

Between 2009 and 2020, 63 fractures were followed up to fracture union, reoperation, or a minimum of 1 year clinically. The mean follow-up was 32 months, and 48 (76%) of the patients were followed up beyond 1 year clinically. The mean patient age was 34 years (range 18–84 years), and the mean BMI was 27 (range 14–45) kg/m2. Forty (64%) patients were polytraumatized. Clinical and radiographic union was achieved in 59 (94%) fractures after index operation at a mean time to union of 22 weeks (range 9–51 weeks). Delayed union requiring nail dynamization occurred in 1 (2%) instance. Malreduction was noted in 1 (2%) patient with a 12-degree flexion deformity that resulted in nonunion. In total, there were 3 (5%) nonunions requiring revision surgery, 1 treated with retrograde exchange nailing and 2 revised to cephalomedullary nails; all were united after revision.

Conclusions:

Retrograde intramedullary nailing can be an effective treatment strategy for extremely proximal femur fractures when necessary. Our series demonstrated a high rate of union and a low rate of malalignment and complications.

Level of Evidence:

Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Intraoperative Interpectoral and Subserratus Nerve Blocks in Breast Augmentation Surgery
Authors: Lee Mark A. , McCartney Conor B.
Published: February 2023

Background:

An essential component in ambulatory breast augmentation surgery is good analgesia. The demographic undergoing this operation is usually fit, low risk with few comorbidities. These patients do not require long-term hospitalization and do not want to spend excessive time in the hospital for financial reasons. Opiate analgesia can have significant side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and sedation. Reducing volumes of postoperative opiates allows faster ambulation and discharge from day surgery. We have developed two targeted nerve blocks that the operating surgeon can apply in minutes under direct vision, not requiring imaging. Anecdotally, we found that these targeted nerve blocks reduced opiate requirements and allowed accelerated discharge and faster return to normal activities. We conducted a prospective randomized, double-blind trial to test this theory.

Methods:

Twenty patients were randomized into saline (n = 10) or ropivacaine adrenaline solution (n = 10). The operating surgeons and anesthetists were blinded to the solution. All patients were closely followed up, and morphine equivalents were accurately recorded. Follow-up pain scores were recorded using the Overall Benefit of Analgesia pain questionnaire.

Results:

The ropivacaine nerve blocks significantly reduced opiate requirements postoperatively (P < 0.05). Pain scores were significantly decreased in the study group (P < 0.05). There were no side effects attributable to the nerve blocks.

Conclusion:

Intraoperative targeted nerve blocks significantly reduce postoperative opiate requirements in breast augmentation surgery resulting in faster recovery and higher patient satisfaction.
Mega Nerves: Factors Associated with Large Median Nerves on Ultrasound of the Carpal Tunnel
Authors: Kohls Morgan R. , Wasil Karen F. , Fowler John R.
Published: February 2023

Background:

Although increased cross-sectional area of the median nerve on ultrasound has been associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, there has been little research examining outlier cases with exceedingly large nerves. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with these “mega” nerves, and to determine whether these nerves carry with them increased severity of disease.

Methods:

Patients who presented to clinic with upper extremity paresthesias over a 4-year period were included in this study. Two groups were created: mega nerves (cross-sectional area >2 SD above average), and nonmega nerves. Statistical analysis was performed to compare demographics, symptom scores, and nerve conduction studies (NCS). Significant variables were then compared between patients with mega nerves and those with ultrasound positive nerves (≥10 mm2), which did not reach mega size (normal nerves were excluded).

Results:

The cohort included 425 median nerves with 25 mega nerves. The groups differed significantly in diabetes status, body mass index (BMI), Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) Symptom Severity Scale scores, and NCS results. When compared only with ultrasound positive but nonmega nerves, mega nerves were still associated with diabetes, higher BMI, and worse NCS results.

Conclusions:

Diabetes, BMI, NCS results, and BCTQ Symptom Severity Scale scores are associated with mega nerves. However, BCTQ scores do not differ between mega nerves and other ultrasound positive nerves. In patients with obesity or diabetes, outlier ultrasound measurements may not correlate with worsened clinical symptoms, even in the setting of more significantly altered NCS results.