Nurture, Pleasure and Read and Resist!: Abolition Feminist Methodology for a Collective Recovery?

COVID-19 has magnified intersecting inequalities that are central to the functioning of capitalism. At the height of the crisis, the value of an economy based on the exchange of goods and services faded away to expose the importance of care across the public and private spheres. Undervalued and underpaid labour suddenly became critical to the survival of many. Drawing on Abolition Feminism, we argue for the need to seize this revaluation of labour to centre nurture and pleasure within our post-pandemic recovery. We apply an Abolition Feminist framework that conceptualises the prison as part of a network of violence that deflects attention from the root causes of harm. We reflect on the development of our Abolition Feminist web platform, Read and Resist!, a space where theory meets reflection on praxis. We consider how activist strategies within Abolition Feminism may support us in reimagining our relationships with law and justice post-COVID-19.

Five-year predictive validity of DSM-IV conduct disorder research diagnosis in 4(1/2)-5-year-old children.

OBJECTIVE: This longitudinal study of a non-referred, population-based sample tested the 5-year predictive validity of the DSM-IV conduct disorder (CD) research diagnosis in children 4(1/2)-5 years of age. METHOD: In the E-Risk Study, a representative birth cohort of 2,232 children, mothers were interviewed and teachers completed mailed questionnaires to assess children's past 6-month CD symptoms. A follow-up assessment was conducted when children were 10 years old. RESULTS: CD-diagnosed 5-year-olds were significantly more likely than controls to have behavioural and educational difficulties at age 10. Increased risk for age-10 educational difficulties persisted after controlling for age-5 IQ and ADHD diagnosis. Although the majority of CD-diagnosed 5-year-olds had no CD symptoms at age 10, findings suggest that these "remitted" children continued to experience behavioural and educational problems 5 years later despite their apparent remission from CD. CONCLUSIONS: DSM-IV CD symptoms validly identify preschool-aged children who continue to have behavioural and educational problems in middle-childhood.

Lateral temporal bone resection in advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: report of 35 patients.

Objective To evaluate lateral temporal bone resection (LTBR) in the management of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with temporal bone invasion and patterns of failure. Methods This is a retrospective study of 35 patients undergoing lateral temporal bone resection for advanced cutaneous SCC at a tertiary care center between 1995 and 2006. Results The Pittsburgh tumor stage was T4 in 18 patients (51%), T3 in 5 (14%), T2 in 9 (26%), and T1 in 3 (9%). Clear margins were reported in 22 (63%) patients. Resection of the mandible and/or temporomandibular joint (TMJ) was required in 11 (31%) patients. Facial nerve involvement was seen in 10 (29%) patients. Survival outcomes at 2 and 5 years for overall survival were 72% and 49%; disease-free survival, 68% and 59%; and disease-specific survival, 79% and 62%, respectively. Pittsburgh T stage correlated significantly with disease-specific survival (p = 0.015) and margin status was significant for both disease-free survival (p = 0.0015) and disease-specific survival (p < 0.001). Conclusions Surgery with curative intent is justified for cutaneous SCC invading the temporal bone with extended LTBR. Margin status was a significant predictor of outcome. Surgeons should plan preoperatively to achieve clear margins by extending the LTBR with possible nerve resection.

Being bullied as an environmentally mediated contributing factor to children's internalizing problems: a study of twins discordant for victimization.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether the experience of being bullied has an environmentally mediated effect on internalizing symptoms in young children. DESIGN: A genetically informative, longitudinal 1994-1995 birth cohort. SETTING: A nationally representative sample from the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS: We examined 1116 twin pairs who are participants in the Environmental Risk Longitudinal Twin Study. Main Exposure The experience of being bullied between the ages of 7 and 9 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Mothers' and teachers' reports of children's internalizing problems at 7 and 10 years of age. RESULTS: Monozygotic twins who had been bullied had more internalizing symptoms (mean, 0.23; SD, 1.00) compared with their co-twin who had not been bullied (mean, -0.13; SD, 0.86), indicating that being bullied has an environmentally mediated effect on children's internalizing problems (beta, 0.36 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.18-0.54]). This effect remained significant after controlling for preexisting internalizing problems (beta, 0.26 [95% CI, 0.09-0.44]). CONCLUSIONS: Being bullied at a young age is an environmentally mediated contributing factor to children's internalizing problems. Intervention programs aimed at reducing bullying behavior in schools and in the community have the potential to influence children's early symptoms of mental health problems.

Ginkgo for memory enhancement: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT: Several over-the-counter treatments are marketed as having the ability to improve memory, attention, and related cognitive functions in as little as 4 weeks. These claims, however, are generally not supported by well-controlled clinical studies. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether ginkgo, an over-the-counter agent marketed as enhancing memory, improves memory in elderly adults as measured by objective neuropsychological tests and subjective ratings. DESIGN: Six-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community-dwelling volunteer men (n = 98) and women (n = 132) older than 60 years with Mini-Mental State Examination scores greater than 26 and in generally good health were recruited by a US academic center via newspaper advertisements and enrolled over a 26-month period from July 1996 to September 1998. INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly assigned to receive ginkgo, 40 mg 3 times per day (n = 115), or matching placebo (n = 115). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Standardized neuropsychological tests of verbal and nonverbal learning and memory, attention and concentration, naming and expressive language, participant self-report on a memory questionnaire, and caregiver clinical global impression of change as completed by a companion. RESULTS: Two hundred three participants (88%) completed the protocol. Analysis of the modified intent-to-treat population (all 219 participants returning for evaluation) indicated that there were no significant differences between treatment groups on any outcome measure. Analysis of the fully evaluable population (the 203 who complied with treatment and returned for evaluation) also indicated no significant differences for any outcome measure. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this 6-week study indicate that ginkgo did not facilitate performance on standard neuropsychological tests of learning, memory, attention, and concentration or naming and verbal fluency in elderly adults without cognitive impairment. The ginkgo group also did not differ from the control group in terms of self-reported memory function or global rating by spouses, friends, and relatives. These data suggest that when taken following the manufacturer's instructions, ginkgo provides no measurable benefit in memory or related cognitive function to adults with healthy cognitive function.