bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
P11 Pooling the evidence: a review of swimming and atopic dermatitis
Authors: O’Connor Cathal , McCarthy Siobhan , Murphy Michelle
Published: August 2023

Swimming is an excellent form of aerobic exercise and is an essential life skill. Many children with atopic dermatitis (AD) are advised not to swim because of concerns about negative impacts on their skin disease, and some children with AD do not swim because they are self-conscious about the appearance of their skin. We aimed to review the available literature on swimming and AD and scientifically analyse the potential impact of all components of swimming in AD – water, skin barrier, swimming gear and exercise. Studies examined the impact of swimming on the skin barrier and relative contraindications to swimming. Constituents of water that may affect AD include hardness, pH, temperature, antiseptics and other chemicals. Potential interventions to reduce damage included emollient application, special swim gear, and showering post-submersion. The benefits of swimming as a form of exercise in AD included reduced sweating, cardiorespiratory fitness and maintenance of healthy weight. Drawbacks of swimming as a form of exercise in AD included the limited benefit on bone mineral density. Future research should examine the impact of swimming on flares of AD using noninvasive biomarkers as well as clinical severity assessment, and assess the role for different types of emollient as an intervention for optimal eczema control. Based on the review we provide new guidance on how to advise parents and children with AD regarding general measures, swim wear, and pool-side interventions to minimize any deleterious effect on skincare, and maximize opportunities to swim.
P16 Linear bullous aplasia cutis congenita of the scalp: an unusual presentation of a rare condition
Authors: Forde Karina , Zawafta Zainab , Burrows Nigel
Published: August 2023

Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is a heterogenous group of congenital disorders characterized by focal or widespread absence of skin. Bullous ACC is a rare variant that presents with well-circumscribed oval lesions resembling bullae or vesicles covered with a thin membrane. There have been 20 previously reported cases of bullous ACC. We present a female neonate referred to dermatology at day 2 of life following an IVF-assisted pregnancy and delivery by elective caesarean section for breech presentation. There was no antenatal history of infection, trauma or drugs, and no relevant family history. Clinical examination of the parietal scalp revealed five well-demarcated bullae in a linear distribution along Blaschko lines. The hair collar and ‘golf club set’ signs were absent. Skin swabs for microbiology and viral studies were negative. Ultrasonography showed no associated osseous defect. Clinical examination was otherwise normal. A diagnosis of multibullous ACC was made, and a conservative approach adopted. Clinical follow up at 2 years found resorption of one bulla with flattening of the remainder. Neurodevelopment was normal. On review of the literature, 10/20 (50%) cases of bullous ACC presented with multiple bullae. The hair collar sign was positive in 50%, strengthening theories that bullous ACC may represent a ‘forme fruste’ of a neural tube defect. Four other cases reported distribution along Blashko lines, suggesting possible underlying cutaneous mosaicism. The majority (90%) had no associated cutaneous or extracutaneous findings. Clinical outcomes were good with spontaneous resorption of bullae, suggesting conservative management is appropriate in most cases.
P18 Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in children: report of three cases
Authors: Bageta Maria L , Cella Eliana , Bettina Cervini A , del Valle Centeno Maria , Roquel Liliana , Mee John , Groves Richard , Calonje Eduardo , Goodwin Richard G , Mellerio Jemima , Petrof Gabriela , Martinez Anna E
Published: August 2023

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) is an acquired, subepidermal blistering skin disease characterized by autoantibodies against type VII collagen, which links the epidermis to the dermis at the dermo-epidermal junction. Clinically, patients have skin fragility and blisters over trauma-prone sites, scarring, milia and onychodystrophy. The diagnosis can be challenging as it shares clinical and histopathological features with other immunobullous diseases. Although exceptionally rare in children, we report three paediatric patients with EBA and variable disease severity. The main clinical features were blisters (n = 3), milia (n = 3), scarring (n = 2), oral erosions (n = 2) and onychodystrophy (n = 1). Histological findings were nonspecific, showing a subepidermal blister with various inflammatory infiltrates. On direct immunofluorescence a bright deposit of IgG was seen, and the antibodies adhered to the dermal side of the salt-split in two cases. ELISA analysis confirmed circulating autoantibodies against type VII collagen in one patient. All received a course of oral corticosteroids alongside steroid-sparing agents such as dapsone, azathioprine and rituximab depending on clinical response and shared favourable prognosis. Early use of topical steroids can help but high-dose oral corticosteroids are often required as well as steroid-sparing agents such as dapsone, methotrexate, azathioprine, ciclosporin, mycophenolate mofetil, cyclophosphamide and rituximab. In our experience, although the treatment approaches have been different, all the patients had favourable outcomes.
P28 Traumatic anserine folliculosis: a cause of facial follicular papules
Authors: Parmar Shivani , Gass Julia , Trayers Claire , Stefanos Niki , Durack Alana
Published: August 2023

Traumatic anserine folliculosis (TAF) is an infrequently reported condition, presenting with grouped follicular papules, usually on the face of young people, induced by repeated frictional trauma or pressure. A suggestive history may allow clinical differentiation of TAF from other folliculocentric keratotic disorders. We present three children diagnosed with TAF in our department: (i) A 12-year-old boy with asymmetry of the mental protuberance, presented with a 1-year history of scaly, lichenified erythema with monomorphic nonpigmented papules over the more prominent side; histology showed mild hyperkeratosis and some rudimentary hair follicles with keratin-filled follicular openings. (ii) A 7-year-old boy with a 1-year history of a hyperpigmented patch on the chin with multiple skin-coloured papules and a sandpaper feel; dermoscopy showed follicular papules with keratin plug; he had a habit of reading with his chin resting on his knee; the skin changes improved with topical retinoid and postural changes. (iii) A boy with follicular papules on one cheek since the age of 8 years, with history of persistent leaning his hand on his cheek while reading; the papules resolved with a change in posture, but similar changes arose at a new pressure area on his chin. The clinical features of grouped monomorphic skin-coloured follicular papules on an erythematous or hyperpigmented background, and a suggestive history, may allow the diagnosis of TAF. Described histological findings are hyperkeratosis, rudimentary follicles and dilated follicular openings filled with keratotic material. Management includes identifying and correcting postural habits; topical keratolytic agents and retinoids may also be beneficial.
Essential emergency skincare: a global health dermatology innovation for Myanmar and beyond
Authors: Htet Kyaw Zin , Griffiths Christopher E M , Lwin Su M
Published: August 2023

Myanmar provides an exemplar framework whereby a global health dermatology partnership, developed during a time of political stability, has led to an innovative emergency essential skincare strategy to sustain its overarching mission of providing quality care for people with skin disease at times of conflict and instability. This framework, through multilevel integrated approaches such as education and service delivery, serves as a model for crisis-responsive healthcare and global health goals.
Genomic stability in Cenostigma Tul., (Caesalpinioideae, Fabaceae): causes and consequences
Authors: Castro Natália , Mata-Sucre Yennifer , Carvalho-Sobrinho Jefferson , Marques André , de Queiroz Rubens Teixeira , Souza Gustavo
Published: August 2023

The Pantropical Caesalpinia group includes 225 species distributed in 27 monophyletic genera, among which Cenostigma stands out by taxonomic and phylogenetic complexity. The genus includes trees and shrubs with interspecific hybridization and high diversity in north-eastern Brazil (Caatinga domain). Detailed cytogenomic characterizations have been performed only in C. microphyllum revealing enrichment of long terminal repeats (LTR) Ty3/gypsy transposable elements (TEs) and satellite DNA (satDNA) in the heterochromatin. Here, we aimed to perform a comparative analysis of seven Northeast Brazilian species of Cenostigma using cytogenomic and genomic approaches. The comparative genomic analysis revealed repeats stability with similar TE abundance, composition, and chromosomal localization in all species. On the other hand, satDNA were highly variable in abundance, in some cases species-specific. Cytogenomic data confirmed the karyotype stability with the TE elements Athila and Tekay enriching the proximal heterochromatin. Moreover, the satDNA CemiSat163 appeared to be exclusively located on acrocentric chromosomes of the analysed species. The genomic stability in Cenostigma may be related to their relatively recent age (~13.59 Mya), long-life cycle, and/ or similarity in ecological niche among this species. We propose that the genomic stability found in Cenostigma may facilitate the natural interspecific gene flow reported in sympatric species, complicating the interpretation of its systematics and evolution.
Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Shedding of Human Herpes Virus-8 Among Men Having Sex With Men Enrolled in a Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Study
Authors: Gras Julien , Helary Marion , Carette Diane , Minier Marine , Salmona Maud , Gabassi Audrey , Saouzanet Marine , Charreau Isabelle , Meyer Laurence , Molina Jean-Michel , Delaugerre Constance
Published: August 2023

Background

Seroprevalence and risk factors for human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection among HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have not been well characterized. Our objectives were to assess the prevalence and incidence of HHV-8 infection in MSM enrolled on PrEP, and study viral shedding in seropositive participants.

Methods

The ANRS IPERGAY study enrolled 429 participants in France and Canada to evaluate oral PrEP for HIV-1 prevention. Stored sera samples at day 0 (D0) and last visit were tested for the detection of HHV-8 antibodies using an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Baseline characteristics were analyzed to identify risk factors associated with HHV-8 seropositivity. Among seropositive participants, HHV-8 DNA was quantified on available oral and anal swabs, and ORF-K1 typing performed on HHV-8 positive samples.

Results

One hundred participants were seropositive at D0 (prevalence of 24%; 95% CI: 20.0–28.4%) and 18/329 seroconverted during the study (incidence rate of 2.66 per 100 person-years; 95% CI: 1.57–4.20). Risk factors independently associated with baseline HHV-8 seropositivity included older age, high number of sexual partners, chemsex use, and herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) seropositivity. Among HHV-8–seropositive participants with available swab(s) for virological analysis, 37/115 (32%) displayed HHV-8 oral shedding and 5/113 (4.4%) anal shedding at least once. Four patients had a positive viral load before seroconversion.

Conclusions

Prevalence and incidence of HHV-8 infection were high in HIV-negative PrEP users. Among seropositive participants, HHV-8 DNA is mainly detected in saliva, which may play a major role in viral transmission in this population.

Clinical Trials Registration. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01473472.
Improving Science That Uses Code
Authors: Thimbleby Harold
Published: August 2023

As code is now an inextricable part of science it should be supported by competent Software Engineering, analogously to statistical claims being properly supported by competent statistics.

If and when code avoids adequate scrutiny, science becomes unreliable and unverifiable because results — text, data, graphs, images, etc — depend on untrustworthy code.

Currently, scientists rarely assure the quality of the code they rely on, and rarely make it accessible for scrutiny. Even when available, scientists rarely provide adequate documentation to understand or use it reliably.

This paper proposes and justifies ways to improve science using code:

1.   Professional Software Engineers can help, particularly in critical fields such as public health, climate change and energy.

2.   ‘Software Engineering Boards,’ analogous to Ethics or Institutional Review Boards, should be instigated and used.

3.   The Reproducible Analytic Pipeline (RAP) methodology can be generalized to cover code and Software Engineering methodologies,        in a generalization this paper introduces called RAP+. RAP+ (or comparable interventions) could be supported and or even required       in journal, conference and funding body policies.

The paper’s Supplemental Material provides a summary of Software Engineering best practice relevant to scientific research, including further suggestions for RAP+ workflows.

‘Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer.’ Donald E. Knuth in $A=B$ [ 1]

‘I have to write to discover what I am doing.’ Flannery O’Connor, quoted in Write for your life [ 2]

‘Criticism is the mother of methodology.’ Robert P. Abelson in Statistics as Principled Argument [ 3]

‘From its earliest times, science has operated by being open and transparent about methods and evidence, regardless of which technology has been in vogue.’ Editorial in Nature [4]
British Responses to Italian Non-Belligerence, September 1939–June 1940
Authors: Fiore Massimiliano
Published: August 2023

This article provides an assessment of the British perception of Italy’s reality during the period of non-belligerence and of British political, diplomatic, and military responses from September 1939 to June 1940. It analyses the alternative options available to British political and military officials and evaluates the decisions they took during the period under consideration. It concludes that British political and military officials accurately understood Italy’s situation and Mussolini’s desire to join the war on Germany’s side. However, they rightly reasoned that Italy’s entry into the war depended on the outcome of the Western campaign. It was only if and when that campaign had been decided that Mussolini would make his move. Given this, the choice to concentrate British forces against Germany rather than dispersing them by opening new fronts or expanding the existing battlefield was reasonable. Had the Anglo-French allies managed to repel the offensive in the West, the threat of Italy’s intervention would have been averted. It can therefore be argued that London’s decision to refrain from engaging Rome militarily was not due to a lack of awareness regarding Italy’s vulnerability, but rather to a strategic doctrine aimed at defeating Germany through a long war of attrition. This decision showcased a shrewd understanding of the prevailing situation.
Prevalence and clinical features of armadillo repeat-containing 5 mutations carriers in a single center cohort of patients with bilateral adrenal incidentalomas
Authors: Morelli Valentina , Elli Francesca Marta , Frigerio Sofia , Vena Walter , Palmieri Serena , Lucca Camilla , Maffini Maria Antonia , Contarino Andrea , Bagnaresi Francesca , Mantovani Giovanna , Arosio Maura
Published: August 2023

Objective

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of armadillo repeat-containing 5 (ARMC5) genetic defects in our cohort of bilateral adrenal incidentaloma (BAI) patients and to evaluate the possible existence of genotype–phenotype correlations.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

Tertiary care center.

Participants

72 BAI patients.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

The following data have been collected: morning adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) concentrations; cortisol levels after 1 mg overnight dexamethasone suppression test (F-1mgDST); urinary free cortisol (UFC) levels; diameter of the adrenal masses; and the association with overweight/obesity, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular events, unrelated neoplasia, osteoporosis, thyroid nodular disease, and primary hyperparathyroidism. A search for ARMC5 germline and somatic pathogenic variants was performed in all patients and in the adrenal tissue of patients operated on, respectively.

Results

The prevalence of germline ARMC5 pathogenic variants among patients with mild autonomous cortisol secretion (MACS+, defined as F-1mgDST > 1.8 µg/dL) was 18.8%. No germline pathogenic variants were detected in patients without MACS. Moreover, somatic ARMC5 pathogenic variants were also found in the adrenal tissue of six patients without germline ARMC5 variants. The F-1mgDST levels >5 µg/dL predicted with a poor sensitivity but a 90.5% specificity in identifying the presence of ARMC5 germline pathogenic variants. We did not find any clinical parameter predictive of the ARMC5 mutation presence.

Conclusions

In MACS+ BAI patients, germline ARMC5 gene pathogenic variants are frequent. Further studies are needed to elucidate the pathophysiological role of somatic ARMC5 pathogenic variants on adrenal tumor development in otherwise wild-type (WT) patients.
Twenty-five years of research on syncope
Authors: Fedorowski Artur , Kulakowski Piotr , Brignole Michele , de Lange Frederik J , Kenny Rose Anne , Moya Angel , Rivasi Giulia , Sheldon Robert , Van Dijk Gert , Sutton Richard , Deharo Jean-Claude
Published: August 2023

Over the last 25 years, the Europace journal has greatly contributed to dissemination of research and knowledge in the field of syncope. More than 400 manuscripts have been published in the journal. They undoubtedly improved our understanding of syncope. This symptom is now clearly differentiated from other forms of transient loss of consciousness. The critical role of vasodepression and/or cardioinhibition as final mechanisms of reflex syncope is emphasized. Current diagnostic approach sharply separates between cardiac and autonomic pathways. Physiologic insights have been translated, through rigorously designed clinical trials, into non-pharmacological or pharmacological interventions and interventional therapies. The following manuscript is intended to give the reader the current state of the art of knowledge of syncope by highlighting landmark contributions of the Europace journal.
The evolving state of cardiac resynchronization therapy and conduction system pacing: 25 years of research at EP Europace journal
Authors: Ellenbogen Kenneth A , Auricchio Angelo , Burri Haran , Gold Michael R , Leclercq Christophe , Leyva Francisco , Linde Cecilia , Jastrzebski Marek , Prinzen Frits , Vernooy Kevin
Published: August 2023

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) was proposed in the 1990s as a new therapy for patients with heart failure and wide QRS with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction despite optimal medical treatment. This review is aimed first to describe the rationale and the physiologic effects of CRT. The journey of the landmark randomized trials leading to the adoption of CRT in the guidelines since 2005 is also reported showing the high level of evidence for CRT. Different alternative pacing modalities of CRT to conventional left ventricular pacing through the coronary sinus have been proposed to increase the response rate to CRT such as multisite pacing and endocardial pacing. A new emerging alternative technique to conventional biventricular pacing, conduction system pacing (CSP), is a promising therapy. The different modalities of CSP are described (Hirs pacing and left bundle branch area pacing). This new technique has to be evaluated in clinical randomized trials before implementation in the guidelines with a high level of evidence.
The digital journey: 25 years of digital development in electrophysiology from an Europace perspective
Authors: Svennberg Emma , Caiani Enrico G , Bruining Nico , Desteghe Lien , Han Janet K , Narayan Sanjiv M , Rademakers Frank E , Sanders Prashanthan , Duncker David
Published: August 2023

Aims

Over the past 25 years there has been a substantial development in the field of digital electrophysiology (EP) and in parallel a substantial increase in publications on digital cardiology.

In this celebratory paper, we provide an overview of the digital field by highlighting publications from the field focusing on the EP Europace journal.

Results

In this journey across the past quarter of a century we follow the development of digital tools commonly used in the clinic spanning from the initiation of digital clinics through the early days of telemonitoring, to wearables, mobile applications, and the use of fully virtual clinics. We then provide a chronicle of the field of artificial intelligence, a regulatory perspective, and at the end of our journey provide a future outlook for digital EP.

Conclusion

Over the past 25 years Europace has published a substantial number of papers on digital EP, with a marked expansion in digital publications in recent years.
Risk stratification of sudden cardiac death: a review
Authors: Tfelt-Hansen Jacob , Garcia Rodrigue , Albert Christine , Merino Jose , Krahn Andrew , Marijon Eloi , Basso Cristina , Wilde Arthur A M , Haugaa Kristina Hermann
Published: August 2023

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is responsible for several millions of deaths every year and remains a major health problem. To reduce this burden, diagnosing and identification of high-risk individuals and disease-specific risk stratification are essential. Treatment strategies include treatment of the underlying disease with lifestyle advice and drugs and decisions to implant a primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and perform ablation of the ventricles and novel treatment modalities such as left cardiac sympathetic denervation in rare specific primary electric diseases such as long QT syndrome and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. This review summarizes the current knowledge on SCD risk according to underlying heart disease and discusses the future of SCD prevention.
Evidence for stronger sexual selection in males than in females using an adapted method of Bateman’s classic study of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Davies Natasha , Janicke Tim , Morrow Edward H
Published: August 2023

Bateman’s principles, originally a test of Darwin’s theoretical ideas, have since become fundamental to sexual selection theory and vital to contextualizing the role of anisogamy in sex differences of precopulatory sexual selection. Despite this, Bateman’s principles have received substantial criticism, and researchers have highlighted both statistical and methodological errors, suggesting that Bateman’s original experiment contains too much sampling bias for there to be any evidence of sexual selection. This study uses Bateman’s original method as a template, accounting for two fundamental flaws in his original experiments, (a) viability effects and (b) a lack of mating behavior observation. Experimental populations of Drosophila melanogaster consisted of wild-type focal individuals and nonfocal individuals established by backcrossing the brown eye (bw-) eye-color marker—thereby avoiding viability effects. Mating assays included direct observation of mating behavior and total number of offspring, to obtain measures of mating success, reproductive success, and standardized variance measures based on Bateman’s principles. The results provide observational support for Bateman’s principles, particularly that (a) males had significantly more variation in number of mates compared with females and (b) males had significantly more individual variation in total number of offspring. We also find a significantly steeper Bateman gradient for males compared to females, suggesting that sexual selection is operating more intensely in males. However, female remating was limited, providing the opportunity for future study to further explore female reproductive success in correlation with higher levels of remating.
Convergent Evolution in a Murine Intestinal Parasite Rapidly Created the TGM Family of Molecular Mimics to Suppress the Host Immune Response
Authors: Maizels Rick M , Newfeld Stuart J
Published: August 2023

The Transforming Growth Factor-β mimic (TGM) multigene family was recently discovered in the murine intestinal parasite Heligmosomoides polygyrus. This family was shaped by an atypical set of organismal and molecular evolutionary mechanisms along its path through the adaptive landscape. The relevant mechanisms are mimicry, convergence, exon modularity, new gene origination, and gene family neofunctionalization. We begin this review with a description of the TGM family and then address two evolutionary questions: “Why were TGM proteins needed for parasite survival” and “when did the TGM family originate”? For the former, we provide a likely answer, and for the latter, we identify multiple TGM building blocks in the ruminant intestinal parasite Haemonchus contortus. We close by identifying avenues for future investigation: new biochemical data to assign functions to more family members as well as new sequenced genomes in the Trichostrongyloidea superfamily and the Heligmosomoides genus to clarify TGM origins and expansion. Continued study of TGM proteins will generate increased knowledge of Transforming Growth Factor-β signaling, host–parasite interactions, and metazoan evolutionary mechanisms.
1. Introduction
Authors: Choat Simon , Ramgotra Manjeet
Published: August 2023

This introductory chapter provides an overview of the study of political thought. It examines political thought as a specific way of understanding and analysing politics, highlighting some recent debates and developments, including the development of comparative political thought. In doing so, it also reflects on the meaning of ‘politics’ itself. The chapter then looks at why and how one might study the history of political thought, exploring different approaches and discussing a range of methodological and interpretative issues. It considers who should be studied and, in particular, explores calls to decolonize political thought. Ultimately, the chapter demonstrates that political thought can be understood and studied in a variety of ways and shows why it is important to include voices that have been excluded or silenced.
3. Aristotle and bell hooks
Authors: Ramgotra Manjeet
Published: August 2023

This chapter compares Aristotle’s and bell hooks’ conceptions of politics. Even though he was a foreigner in Athens and therefore not a citizen, Aristotle writes from the position of the ruling classes; whereas bell hooks writes from the position of a Black American woman. The chapter examines Aristotle’s theory of teleology in relation to knowing and being, which it then contrasts with hooks’ conception of knowledge as constructed through experience and positionality in relation to marginalized groups. It further compares Aristotle’s understanding of human nature comprised of reason, appetite, and spirit to hooks’ view that human beings are political subjects constituted by systems of power that situate them in hierarchical categories, but who can reclaim agency and create their own subjectivities. Finally, the chapter focuses on the home as the first social institution in which individuals learn about authority, gender, and social relations. It contrasts Aristotle’s defence of patriarchy with hooks’ conception of homeplace as a site of resistance that Black women created to nurture and restore human dignity.
4. Kautilya
Authors: Shahi Deepshikha
Published: August 2023

This chapter presents the seminal work of chief counsellor Kautilya, Arthaśāstra. Arthaśāstra has been unanimously accepted not only as one of the most precious works of Sanskrit literature, but also as an ancient Indian compendium of principles and policies related to political science. The chapter begins by unfolding the ‘philosophical foundation’ of Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra. A systematic study of this foundation clarifies the moral footing of Kautilya’s political theory. The chapter then unpacks the structural and functional outlook of Kautilya’s Arthaśāstra, demonstrating how Kautilya’s political theory is eclectic. It fuses the allegedly conflicting rational/prudential and abstract/ideal concerns in politics, thereby outdoing the prescriptions of Eurocentric realpolitik. Finally, the chapter inspects the position of gender and caste in Kautilya’s political theory. In so doing, it probes the gaps between Kautilya’s theoretical plan and its practical performance.
5. Thomas Hobbes
Authors: Allen Signy Gutnick
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses the ideas of Thomas Hobbes, focusing on his account provided in Leviathan (1651). By emphasizing the importance of centralized state power underpinned by individuals’ consent, the Hobbesian approach to politics highlights a set of key questions. What does it mean to be a citizen? What are the grounds, nature, and limits of political authority and obligation? The chapter begins by outlining Hobbes’s presentation of the state of nature, natural right, and the laws of nature, linking his analysis to his materialist science. It then turns to Hobbes’s explanation of the origins of the state and explores his argument that the political relationship is fundamentally representative. The chapter also explains his understanding of sovereignty, as well as his theory of inalienable rights. Finally, it examines the possibility that this retained right is the seed of a right to rebel against the sovereign, before considering Hobbes’s legacy.
15. Sayyid Qutb
Authors: Omar Ayesha
Published: August 2023

This chapter outlines some of the key ideas of Sayyid Qutb, a prominent Egyptian, Muslim political theorist and anti-colonial thinker. It begins by setting Qutb’s ideas in their intellectual contexts and discussing his theory of jahilliyyah (condition of ignorance), assessing how and why Qutb prescribes measures to counter the effects of jahilliyyah. The chapter then looks at Qutb’s conception of hakimiyyah (divine sovereignty), which is central to his project for Islamic renewal. It also considers Qutb’s contribution to revolutionary resurgence and in particular his theory of offensive jihad. Finally, the chapter highlights and problematizes Qutb’s enduring legacy both as a militant and decolonial political thinker, and underscores the manner in which his ideas continue to garner interest in the contemporary world.
18. C.L.R. James
Authors: Shilliam Robbie
Published: August 2023

This chapter investigates a key tension in the political thought of C.L.R. James, the celebrated Trinidadian Marxist. James believed that the human condition was defined by a search for meaningful freedom through the pursuit of collective self-determination. Yet he was conflicted as to whether peoples of African descent had to depend for this meaning on the European civilization that had enslaved and colonized them. The chapter details James’s unique contribution to Marxist thought: a ‘dialectic of freedom’ that triangulates the struggle between the bourgeoisie, the masses, and the radical intelligentsia. It then considers the impact of colonial education on James’s own development and the ways in which it made Black intellectual production, for him, intrinsically political and contentious. The chapter also explores the dualism with which James treated Blackness as a resource with which to struggle for meaningful freedom. It considers James’s legacy as edifying, precisely because of the intellectual forthrightness by which he lived his split ethical, theoretical, and political orientation towards Europe and Africa.
24. Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak
Authors: Dhawan Nikita
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the works of Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, who is known for her contribution to postcolonial studies, revolving around gender justice, human rights, and democracy. Spivak criticizes the Eurocentric and male-centric nature and exclusionary framings of political subjectivity. The chapter explains how colonialism revolves around military domination, economic exploitation, and subject constitution, thus explaining that decolonization cannot be achieved simply through transferring power from Europeans to the native elites. Spivak offers a countermodel of individual and collective agency which enhances our understanding of normativity in the era of globalization. The chapter also covers the relation between the European Enlightenment and the postcolonial condition while exploring Spivak’s contribution to the process of decolonizing the Enlightenment. It considers the concept of planetary ethics, which entails forsaking formulas for solving global problems and critical self-vigilance on the part of transnational elites as significant aspects of ethico-political practice.
30. Frederick Douglass
Authors: Gilbert Kiara , Salt Karen
Published: August 2023

This chapter looks at the works of Black American abolitionist Frederick Douglass. It argues that Douglass’ political thinking was shaped by his experiences as an enslaved, fugitive, and freed person. Douglass fought for the emancipation of all enslaved peoples across the USA as he believed all humans were born with a right to self-determination and freedom from enslavement. Additionally, Douglass believed slavery to be a deep violation of a person’s humanity. The chapter explains that Douglass’ abolitionism was grounded in natural rights theory. It looks at the legacy of the influential political theory on liberty that Douglass left behind. This was despite his complicated and often contradictory relationship to early women’s rights movements and his struggles to acknowledge the claims of Indigenous people.
32. John Rawls
Authors: Mckeown Maeve
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the significance of A Theory of Justice (1971) written by John Rawls in contemporary Anglo-American political philosophy. It examines the basic contours of Rawls’ theory and addresses the Rawlsian self in what he calls ‘the original position’. Feminists and critical race theorists disagree over the potential of self that Rawls proposed to generate a non-sexist, anti-racist society, and philosophers of disability highlight its ableist assumptions. The chapter looks at the idea of a Rawlsian society being governed by a ‘just basic structure’. It highlights three issues: (1) the ambiguity of the concept of a basic structure separate from individual behaviour and other institutions; (2) the concern that focusing on the basic structure fails to address power relations between groups; and (3) that it limits the scope of justice to the nation state. While acknowledging the profound contributions of Rawls, the chapter concludes that Rawlsian ideal theory is not the best approach from the perspective of feminist, anti-racist, and anti-ableist philosophy.
34. Shulamith Firestone
Authors: Margree Victoria
Published: August 2023

This chapter explores Shulamith Firestone’s 1970 feminist manifesto The Dialectic of Sex, which provided an analysis of women’s oppression. The chapter introduces the Women’s Liberation Movement and its strands of liberal, socialist, and radical feminism. According to Firestone’s thesis, the origins of women’s oppression lie in their procreative capacities. The chapter also details Firestone’s vision for a utopian society created through a feminist revolution in which women seize control of reproductive technologies. The chapter highlights the significance of The Dialectic of Sex in relation to queer politics and movements for reproductive justice despite its flaws, notably its treatment of race.
35. Angela Y. Davis
Authors: Ramgotra Manjeet
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the core ideas of Angela Davis’s radical Marxist, abolitionist, political theory. It starts by looking at her experiences of racism, sexism, and imprisonment which underpin her activism to create a better world against the oppressions of the capitalist, white supremacist and heteropatriarchal state. Additionally, Davis advances arguments for the abolition of prisons. Davis’s abolitionism promotes a more humane and inclusive society based on radical conceptions of community, caring, and solidarity. The chapter also covers Davis’s work examining how Black women in particular faced multiple and intersecting oppressions of gender, race, class, and sexuality, especially as articulated in her Women, Race and Class (1981).
38. Donna Haraway
Authors: Colebrook Claire
Published: August 2023

This chapter explores the various disciplinary and political dimensions of Donna Haraway’s work revolving around the negotiation of the interdisciplinary problem of the Anthropocene. It considers Haraway’s works which range between feminist interventions in science studies, animal studies, and environmental criticism. Haraway’s A Cyborg Manifesto (1985) offers a feminist response to broadly Marxist accounts of the relationship between technology and history while also reconfiguring and responding to feminist forms of socialism. After briefly introducing Haraway’s contributions to standpoint theory and posthumanism, this chapter turns to an examination of her critique of science and her alternative way of considering the world in which the boundaries between the human and non-human disappear. Haraway outlines various ways to think about planetary change and develops a conception of the Chthulucene that captures the complexity of the present, including the transformation of nature through human histories.
‘We know what he likes, even if he doesn’t know’: how the children of South Asian immigrants characterize and influence the diets of their parents
Authors: Auer Sian , Penikalapati Rushitha , Parekh Niyati , Merdjanoff Alexis A , DiClemente Ralph J , Ali Shahmir H
Published: August 2023

Foreign-born (first-generation) South Asians face a growing diet-related chronic disease burden. Little is known about whether the adult US-born (second-generation) children of South Asian immigrants can provide unique insights as changemakers in their parents’ dietary behaviors. This study aims to assess how second-generation South Asians describe and influence the dietary behaviors of their parents. Between October and November 2020, 32 second-generation South Asians [mean age 22.4 (SD 2.9), 53% female] participated in online interviews centered around factors involved in their (and their parents) eating behaviors. Thematic analysis revealed three types of parental dietary drivers (socioecological factors that impact the dietary choices of parents): goal-oriented (i.e., parents’ dietary intentionality), capacity-related (e.g., environmental barriers) and sociocultural (cultural familiarity, religion and traditions). Participants described three major mechanisms of influence: recommending new foods, cooking for parents, and bringing new foods home. These influences primarily occurred in the household and often involved participants leveraging their own nutritional knowledge and preferences to expand dietary diversity and healthier behaviors among their parents. Evidence suggests that second-generation South Asians may act as powerful agents of dietary change within their households and can provide novel insights to help address and overcome sociocultural, linguistic, and other structural barriers to better understanding and intervening in the health of the South Asian community.
Nationwide Real-World Exclusive Enteral Nutrition Practice Over Time: Persistence of Use as Induction for Pediatric Crohn’s Disease and Emerging Combination Strategy With Biologics
Authors: Wands David I F , Gianolio Laura , Wilson David C , Hansen Richard , Chalmers Iain , Henderson Paul , Gerasimidis Konstantinos , Russell Richard K
Published: August 2023

Background

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is the recommended first-line induction treatment in pediatric patients with active luminal Crohn’s disease (CD). We aimed to provide a nationwide overview of evolving EEN practices during an era of increasing biologic use.

Methods

We analyzed a prospectively identified nationwide cohort of newly diagnosed pediatric patients with CD in Scotland between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2022. Patients who received EEN for any indication were divided into 6-monthly epochs and examined over time. Differences during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 16, 2020, to July 19, 2021) were examined. Data were retrospectively collected from electronic medical records: demographics, anthropometrics, concomitant treatments, aspects of EEN administration, and remission/response rates. Descriptive statistics and linear regression were used for analyses.

Results

A total of 649 patients with CD were identified (63% male; median age 12.6 [interquartile range, 10.8-14.8] years); 497 (77%) of 649 received EEN as postdiagnosis induction therapy with a median course length of 7.7 (interquartile range, 5.9-8.0) weeks. Including repeat courses, 547 EEN courses were examined. An increasing incidence of CD was observed over time with no significant changes in EEN usage, remission or response rates, nasogastric tube usage, or course completion (all P > .05). Increasing use of EEN combined with biologics (combination induction) as first-line induction was observed over time (P < .001). Considering COVID-19, lower rates of EEN usage were observed (P = .008) with no differences in remission, oral administration, and course completion rates (all P > .05).

Conclusions

Over the past 7.5 years, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, EEN usage rates have not changed despite an increase in biologic use, although combination induction is an emerging trend.
Efficacy of Ustekinumab Optimization by 2 Initial Intravenous Doses in Adult Patients With Severe Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Ren Haixia , Kang Jian , Wang Jing , Su Juan , Zou Liping , Yin Anning , Li Jiao , Zhou Qian , Wang Wei , Tang Zhishun , Zhang Jing , Lu Yueyue , Yang Yuanping , Qiu Chengen , Ding Yijuan , Dong Weiguo , An Ping
Published: August 2023

Background

Although increasing studies have reported that dose escalation can improve treatment response to ustekinumab in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), their strategies mainly focus on maintenance regimen. Evidence of ustekinumab dose escalation in induction regimen, particularly in severe CD, remains limited. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of intravenous ustekinumab with 2 initial doses in patients with severely active CD.

Methods

A retrospective observational study of 99 adult patients with severe CD treated with ustekinumab from 3 IBD centers included 48 patients with standard and 51 with optimized induction treatment. Clinical outcomes, inflammatory biomarkers including fecal calprotectin (FC) normalization, and endoscopic outcomes were evaluated at weeks 16 and 48. Adverse events and treatment decisions after initial induction were also collected.

Results

Compared with the standard group, 2 initial intravenous injections of ustekinumab achieved higher clinical response (92.2%, 47 of 51, P = .656), clinical remission (88.2%, 45 of 51, P = .221), endoscopic response (75.8%, 25 of 33, P = .125), and FC normalization (70.6%, 36 of 51, P = .138) at week 16. The mucosal healing rate at week 16 (63.6%, P = .022) was statistically higher in the optimization group. At week 48, patients with optimized treatment achieved higher clinical response (80.4%, 41 of 51, P = .003), clinical remission (70.6%, 36 of 51, P = .007), FC normalization (66.7%, 34 of 51, P = .031), endoscopic response (72.7%, 24 of 33, P = .006), and mucosal healing (57.6%, 19 of 33, P = .004). At the last follow-up, 82.4% of optimally treated patients adhered to continued treatment with ustekinumab (P < .001).

Conclusions

Optimization of ustekinumab by 2 initial intravenous inductions is more effective than standard therapy for adult patients with severe CD.
Assessment of Humoral Immune Responses to Repeated Influenza Vaccination in a Multiyear Cohort: A 5-Year Follow-up
Authors: Sung Meng-Hsuan , Billings W Zane , Carlock Michael A , Hanley Hannah B , Bahl Justin , Handel Andreas , Ross Ted M , Shen Ye
Published: August 2023

The long-term effects of host factors on vaccine-elicited immune responses have not been well studied, and the interactions of host factors with annual influenza vaccinations are yet to be explored. We analyzed data from a cohort of 386 individuals who received the standard-dose influenza vaccine and enrolled in ≥2 seasons from 2016 to 2020. Our analyses indicated disparate vaccine-elicited immune responses between males and females in adults when they were repeatedly vaccinated for at least 2 seasons. Notably, we found interactive effects between age and body mass index (BMI) on overall immune responses, and between sex at birth and BMI in adults.
Effect of the supplementation with a combination of plant extracts on sow and piglet performance and physiology during lactation and around weaning
Authors: Herve Lucile , Quesnel Hélène , Greuter Amaury , Hugonin Laurent , Merlot Elodie , Le Floc’h Nathalie
Published: August 2023

Weaning is a critical period for pigs. Some plant extracts showing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory or antibacterial properties, provided to piglets and/or their dam, may improve piglets’ robustness at weaning, thus reducing the need for antobiotics. This study investigated the effects of a maternal and/or a direct supplementation of piglets with a combination of plant extracts on sow and piglet performance and their metabolic, immune, inflammatory, and oxidative status during lactation and around weaning. Sixty-four sows were assigned to the control or treated group. Treated sows were supplemented with a powdered plant extracts supplement daily top-dressed on feed from day of gestation (DG) 106 to day of lactation (DL) 28 and a liquid solution top-dressed on feed on DG109. Within each sow group, litters were divided into two groups: a control piglet group and a treated piglet group. A single dose of a liquid solution was orally given to piglets in the treated piglet group. Piglets were weaned on DL28. Blood samples were collected from sows on DG94, DG112, and DL26 and from 2 piglets per litter on DL3, DL14, DL25, and 5 d postweaning to analyze indicators of metabolic, immune, inflammatory, and oxidative status. Colostrum and milk samples were collected at farrowing, DL6, and 26. Maternal supplementation had no effect on sow metabolic, immune, inflammatory, and oxidative status except for fewer lymphocytes on DG112 (P < 0.05) and a lower plasma concentration of non-esterified fatty acids on DL26 (P < 0.05). Maternal supplementation tended to decrease dry matter and gross energy (P < 0.10) and reduced fat and haptoglobin concentrations (P < 0.01) in milk on DL26. Maternal supplementation had no effect on piglets’ growth performance and blood indicators during lactation and around weaning. On DL25, the direct supplementation of piglets decreased their neutrophils proportion (P < 0.05), increased the expression of genes encoding pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in whole blood culture in response to lipopolysaccharide (P < 0.05) and tended to decrease the oxidative stress index (P = 0.06). After weaning, these beneficial effects were no longer observed but the supplementation improved piglets’ growth performance during the postweaning period (P < 0.05). Plant extract supplementation could thus modify the composition of mammary secretions and improve postweaning performance of piglets potentially related to the modification of their immune and oxidative status before weaning.