Specific Subfield Research Articles

The interplay of genetic and environmental factors on the morphology of the limbic cortex and hippocampal subfields: Insights from an MRI twin study

IntroductionThe limbic system and the hippocampus are complex brain structures with key roles in memory, emotions, sexual stimulation and learning, with subregion abnormalities associated with a range of disorders and psychopathologies. Our study aimed to explore the heritability of specific subfield structures within the limbic system and hippocampus first in a Caucasian twin sample with volBrain pipeline. Materials and Methods59 healthy adult Caucasian twin pairs from the Hungarian Twin Registry without any history of previous neurodegenerative or cerebrovascular diseases underwent brain MRI on a 3.0 T scanner (43 monozygotic, MZ and 16 dizygotic, DZ pairs, with a median age of 50±+27 years). The volBrain automated volumetry pipeline was used to calculate the subcortical and general brain volumes from three-dimensional T1-weighted images. Based on age- and sex-adjusted MZ and DZ intra-pair correlations, the univariate ACE model was applied to calculate additive genetic, shared and unshared environmental influences. ResultsAdjusting for age and sex, moderate to strong heritability (A: 59.7 to 73.1 %) was found for most limbic cortex volumes, except for the volumes of entorhinal area and posterior cingulate gyrus where common environmental contribution was detected (C: 56.6 % and 65.0 %, respectively). A substantial heritability (A: 67.0 to 79.4 %) was estimated for the overall hippocampus and most subfield volumes, except for the CA2-CA3 region which was determinated by common environmental factors (C: 45.7 %). Unique environmental variance was a minor to moderate contributor across all variables (E: 20.6 to 54.3 %). ConclusionsAlbeit most limbic cortex, overall hippocampus and most subfield volumes are under substantial genetic influence in healthy adult twins, the volumes of entorhinal area, posterior cingulate gyrus and the CA2-CA3 region of the hippocampus are influenced common environmental factors. The findings underline the importance of unique environmental factors which may play a role in the prevention of disorders related to limbic cortex and hippocampus.

Longitudinal study on hippocampal subfields and glucose metabolism in early psychosis

Altered hippocampal morphology and metabolic pathology, but also hippocampal circuit dysfunction, are established phenomena seen in psychotic disorders. Thus, we tested whether hippocampal subfield volume deficits link with deviations in glucose metabolism commonly seen in early psychosis, and whether the glucose parameters or subfield volumes change during follow-up period using one-year longitudinal study design of 78 first-episode psychosis patients (FEP), 48 clinical high-risk patients (CHR) and 83 controls (CTR). We also tested whether hippocampal morphology and glucose metabolism relate to clinical outcome. Hippocampus subfields were segmented with Freesurfer from 3T MRI images and parameters of glucose metabolism were determined in fasting plasma samples. Hippocampal subfield volumes were consistently lower in FEPs, and findings were more robust in non-affective psychoses, with strongest decreases in CA1, molecular layer and hippocampal tail, and in hippocampal tail of CHRs, compared to CTRs. These morphometric differences remained stable at one-year follow-up. Both non-diabetic CHRs and FEPs had worse glucose parameters compared to CTRs at baseline. We found that, insulin levels and insulin resistance increased during the follow-up period only in CHR, effect being largest in the CHRs converting to psychosis, independent of exposure to antipsychotics. The worsening of insulin resistance was associated with deterioration of function and symptoms in CHR. The smaller volume of hippocampal tail was associated with higher plasma insulin and insulin resistance in FEPs, at the one-year follow-up. Our longitudinal study supports the view that temporospatial hippocampal subfield volume deficits are stable near the onset of first psychosis, being more robust in non-affective psychoses, but less prominent in the CHR group. Specific subfield defects were related to worsening glucose metabolism during the progression of psychosis, suggesting that hippocampus is part of the circuits regulating aberrant glucose metabolism in early psychosis. Worsening of glucose metabolism in CHR group was associated with worse clinical outcome measures indicating a need for heightened clinical attention to metabolic problems already in CHR.

Comparison of the study performance of dental students in different subfields of neuroanatomy at the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin and evaluation of the neuroanatomy course in the fourth preclinical semester

IntroductionThe dentist's main working area is the head and neck region, which is innervated by the cranial nerves. On a daily basis, dentists must administer local anaesthesia to ensure pain-free treatment and differentiate between dental pain and neuropathies to avoid mistreatment. Therefore, neuroanatomical training, especially on the cranial nerves, is of immense importance for clinical practice. In order to adopt the curriculum, it is essential to constantly evaluate the quality of the training and to investigate whether there is a correlation between the students' performance and the relevance of the subfields to their work. Material and methodsTo address this issue, the results of MC exams in the neuroanatomy course for dental students at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin from winter semester 2014/2015 to winter semester 2019/2020 were analysed. Each question was assigned to a specific subfield of neuroanatomy. We then compared cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei (clinically relevant) with the remaining subfields (clinically less/not relevant) to investigate whether students performed better in anatomy subfields that are more aligned with the clinical practice of a dentist. We also conducted an anonymous survey (n=201) of the dental students. ResultsFrom winter semester 2014/2015 to winter semester 2019/2020, students performed significantly (***, p< 0.001) better on the clinically relevant questions of the MC examination than on the less/not clinically relevant questions. However, when looking at each of the eleven semesters separately, only three semesters actually performed significantly better on the clinically relevant questions. Our survey also showed that students perceived the subfield of cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei to be the most relevant and studied it more intensively out of their own interest. DiscussionThe study showed that students perceived the subfield of cranial nerves and cranial nerve nuclei to be the most relevant. However, there was no direct correlation between student performance and clinically relevant questions. Using student performance alone as an indicator of relevance is not optimal, as factors such as motivation to learn can have a significant impact. ConclusionGreater clinical relevance influences what students learn more intensively out of their own interest, but does not influence the results of the MC examination in favour of the subspecialty. Based on the available evidence, it is recommended that the structure of the neuroanatomy course be reconsidered.

An overview of the electrocardiographic monitoring devices in sports cardiology: Between present and future.

Athletes represent a mainly healthy population, which however could be considered at risk of major arrhythmic events, especially in case of undiagnosed cardiomyopathies. For this reason, the periodical sports medicine examination and the electrocardiography are essential tools in the cardiovascular screening, even though they do not always succeed in identifying rhythm disturbances, particularly when asymptomatic or rarely symptomatic. Prolonged cardiac monitoring often enables clinicians to stratify the arrhythmic risk and reach the diagnosis. The technological progress of the last decades has produced an always-increasing number of heart rhythm monitoring devices, starting from the 24-hourelectrocardiogram Holtermonitoring and ending with the wide world of wearable devices. In the literature, the extreme utility of this equipment in the patients affected by cardiovascular diseases and in the general population is well established. On the contrary, athletes-based randomized trials or large-scale epidemiological studies targeting the frequency of cardiac symptoms and the use of cardiac monitoring are missing, while an ever-growing number of case series and small observational studies are flourishing in recent years. The present review showcases the available electrocardiographic monitoring options, principally in the medical setting, listing their characteristics, their indications, their supporting evidence, and their general pros and cons. The ultimate goal of this review is guiding physicians through the wide variety of heart rhythm monitoring options in the specific subfield of sports cardiology, when an arrhythmia is suspected in an athlete, to tailor the diagnostic process and favor the best diagnostic accuracy.

Bibliometric Review of Electrification of Enterprise and Last-Mile Delivery Fleet

The impact of transport on carbon emissions accounts for 16.2 % of total global emissions, of which road transport accounts for 11.9 %. Road freight accounts for 40 % of road transport emissions and 4.76 % of global CO2 emissions. This study analyses the existing scientific literature in the field of transport electrification for transport companies in general and for ‘last mile delivery’ logistics companies specializing in urban delivery within parcel collection networks. The purpose of this study is to determine the state of the art for electric vehicles in fleets and how this topic can be assessed for sustainability. Bibliographic validation is primarily quantitative and is the most efficient method for dealing with the large volumes of information from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. VOSviewer software was used to map the relationships between the most frequently used keywords in academic articles. The results show a small number of research papers addressing the electrification of fleet transportation. Only 1 of 523 WoS publications and 1 of 656 fleet transport publications in Scopus covered last-mile delivery for the selected period (1985–2022). It should also be noted that only 39 publications in 1987 in WoS database and 29 papers in 1891 in Scopus on transport electrification have sustainability rating links. The study reveals a lack of research in the subfield of transport electrification. The authors conclude that more research on sustainability criteria for fleet electrification is needed to support a smooth transition to EVs within this specific subfield of transport and to contribute to emission decrease in transport sector.

Applied Computer Vision on 2-Dimensional Lung X-Ray Images for Assisted Medical Diagnosis of Pneumonia

This study focuses on the application of a specific subfield of artificial intelligence referred to as computer vision in the analysis of 2-dimensional lung x-ray images for the assisted medical diagnosis of ordinary pneumonia. A convolutional neural network algorithm was implemented in a Python-coded, Flask-based web application that can analyze x-ray images for the detection of ordinary pneumonia. Since convolutional neural network algorithms rely on machine learning for the identification and detection of patterns, a technique referred to as transfer learning was implemented to train the neural network in the identification and detection of patterns within the dataset. Open-source lung x-ray images were used as training data to create a knowledge base that served as the core element of the web application and the experimental design employed a 5-Trial Confirmatory Test for the validation of the web application. The results of the 5-Trial Confirmatory Test show the calculation of Diagnostic Precision Percentage per Trial, General Diagnostic Precision Percentage, and General Diagnostic Error Percentage while the Confusion Matrix further shows the relationship between the label and the corresponding diagnosis result of the web application on each test images. The developed web application can be used by medical practitioners in A.I.-assisted diagnosis of ordinary pneumonia, and by researchers in the fields of computer science and bioinformatics.

Indigenous Healing Practices of Mental Illness in Southern Punjab

Culture encompasses a person's lifestyle. Cultures vary greatly in their views on ideas, beliefs, customs, and practices. However, the cultural view of illness is a strong weapon that may be used to develop a belief about the etiology of any illness or disease. The study aimed to see the indigenous curing process of Mental Illness in Jalalpur Pirwala, Southern Punjab. The researcher chose to conduct her study in the developing region of Jalalpur Pirwala in Pakistan to see the cultural beliefs held by families in an area where people have a greater tendency to believe in saints and superstitions. From a personhood perspective, there is limited research on adulthood mental illness in Pakistan; this phenomenological study is a contribution to the anthropological inquiries being conducted in a specific subfield of anthropology known as Psychological Anthropology. People with mental illnesses who were between the ages of 18 and 60 were the focus of the study. Various techniques of data collecting were used, such as unstructured interviews with practitioners (spiritual bhoopa/healers), observation, and in-depth interviews with carers of mentally ill individuals. Caretakers and practitioners were selected through snowball sampling. Document and thematic analysis were used to enhance the reliability and validity of the qualitative research. According to the findings, cultural beliefs about mental illness are tied to the divine or supernatural in which preference of healing for mental illness is associated with bhoopa (Traditional practitioner) with indigenous rituals of healing. Carers of mentally ill persons prefer traditional, spiritual, or faith healing rather than westernized psychological treatments.

Distinct functional levels of human voice processing in the auditory cortex.

Voice signaling is integral to human communication, and a cortical voice area seemed to support the discrimination of voices from other auditory objects. This large cortical voice area in the auditory cortex (AC) was suggested to process voices selectively, but its functional differentiation remained elusive. We used neuroimaging while humans processed voices and nonvoice sounds, and artificial sounds that mimicked certain voice sound features. First and surprisingly, specific auditory cortical voice processing beyond basic acoustic sound analyses is only supported by a very small portion of the originally described voice area in higher-order AC located centrally in superior Te3. Second, besides this core voice processing area, large parts of the remaining voice area in low- and higher-order AC only accessorily process voices and might primarily pick up nonspecific psychoacoustic differences between voices and nonvoices. Third, a specific subfield of low-order AC seems to specifically decode acoustic sound features that are relevant but not exclusive for voice detection. Taken together, the previously defined voice area might have been overestimated since cortical support for human voice processing seems rather restricted. Cortical voice processing also seems to be functionally more diverse and embedded in broader functional principles of the human auditory system.

MAPPING KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT RESEARCH: A BIBLIOMETRIC OVERVIEW

In recent years, knowledge management (KM) has consistently attained considerably growing research attention. Consequently, several literature reviews have been performed addressing different topic areas of KM. This paper seeks to present a comprehensive bibliometric and network analysis on KM to understand its development from the perspective of academic communities. Subsequently, it seeks to identify the structure of associations between prior and current themes, predict emerging trends and offer a longitudinal perspective on KM research. This study used web of science database and the initial sample was trimmed down by considering only the articles contributing to KM literature, and further 8,721 KM papers published in the last 30 years were systematically evaluated. The descriptive statistics and science mapping methods employing co-citation analysis were performed with VOSviewer software. In the descriptive analysis, we have analysed publication trends over time, geographical localization of the contributing institutions, journals, most prolific authors, top-performing institutions and most cited articles. Science mapping analysis is based on co-word analysis and co-citations analysis, namely articles’ co-citations and authors’ co-citations. The main findings of this paper will help researchers and academicians to develop knowledge in a specific sub-field by analysing the research outcomes of the papers included in the body of literature.

The risks of invisibilization of populations and places in environment-migration research

Recent years have seen an increase in the use of secondary data in climate adaptation research. While these valuable datasets have proven to be powerful tools for studying the relationships between people and their environment, they also introduce unique oversights and forms of invisibility, which have the potential to become endemic in the climate adaptation literature. This is especially dangerous as it has the potential to introduce a double exposure where the individuals and groups most likely to be invisible to climate adaptation research using secondary datasets are also the most vulnerable to climate change. Building on significant literature on invisibility in survey data focused on hard-to-reach and under-sampled populations, we expand the idea of invisibility to all stages of the research process. We argue that invisibility goes beyond a need for more data. The production of invisibility is an active process in which vulnerable individuals and their experiences are made invisible during distinct phases of the research process and constitutes an injustice. We draw on examples from the specific subfield of environmental change and migration to show how projects using secondary data can produce novel forms of invisibility at each step of the project conception, design, and execution. In doing so, we hope to provide a framework for writing people, groups, and communities back into projects that use secondary data and help researchers and policymakers incorporate individuals into more equitable climate planning scenarios that “leave no one behind.”

Rapid astroglial stress response and elevation of endogenous BiP levels promote neuronal survival in hippocampal slice cultures

A hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of protein aggregates, the formation of which is prevented by chaperone proteins. BiP is the central chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum. In this study we investigated the pattern of BiP in tunicamycin-stressed murine organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHCs). In stressed OHCs highest apoptotic rates occur in neurons of the CA1 regions and the dentate gyrus, in which we found BiP levels to be lowest. Highest BiP protein levels were found in astrocytes. Cell culture experiments indicated that the stress response of glial cells is faster and stronger than in neuronal cells. We hypothesize that the rapid and pronounced BiP expression in astrocytes helps to maintain the fine-balanced micromilieu necessary for survival of neurons. SubAB is a toxin, which cleaves and inactivates BiP. Low dosages of SubAB did not elicit a specific glial response and apoptosis was not induced in a specific hippocampal subfield. Mild prestressing with SubAB promoted neuronal viability in tunicamycin-treated OHCs. We conclude that preconditioning of hippocampal tissue with stressors that elevate endogenous chaperone levels exert a protective effect thereby promoting neuronal survival. These experiments strengthen the thesis that preconditoning with mild stressors positively affects the survival of neuronal cells.

The development of swimming in Brazil and its structural intervening factors (El desarrollo de la natación en Brasil y sus factores estructurales intervinientes)

This study aimed to identify how relationships are established in the development of swimming in a Brazilian sports entity, and hypothesized the existence of a structural dynamics sustained by hidden mechanisms of domination. The research consisted of a case study and the sample was a Brazilian sports entity in swimming, chosen from the analysis of the national classification in the period 2013-2018. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with two managers, two athletes and two coaches of the entity. The study had the following analytical categories: structured relationship between performance and participatory sports; coach influence on athlete development; financial support; sports facilities that provide good training conditions; club strategic planning; organization of a public policy framework for sport; political and sports structure; sports talent identification. After systematizing the data, these were analyzed together with Pierre Bourdieu's sociological theory. From the analyzed case, one can confirm the hypothesis that swimming has a relative social distinction in the Brazilian sports sphere, as links hidden mechanisms of domination in a structural way in its management, such as the different positions held in the specific subfield, the principle of capital differentiation, as well as the importance of raising public funds and the symbolic power of the entity.

Co-author Weighting in Bibliometric Methodology and Subfields of a Scientific Discipline

Abstract Purpose To give a theoretical framework to measure the relative impact of bibliometric methodology on the subfields of a scientific discipline, and how that impact depends on the method of evaluation used to credit individual scientists with citations and publications. The authors include a study of the discipline of physics to illustrate the method. Indicators are introduced to measure the proportion of a credit space awarded to a subfield or a set of authors. Design/methodology/approach The theoretical methodology introduces the notion of credit spaces for a discipline. These quantify the total citation or publication credit accumulated by the scientists in the discipline. One can then examine how the credit is divided among the subfields. The design of the physics study uses the American Physical Society print journals to assign subdiscipline classifications to articles and gather citation, publication, and author information. Credit spaces for the collection of Physical Review Journal articles are computed as a proxy for physics. Findings There is a substantial difference in the value or impact of a specific subfield depending on the credit system employed to credit individual authors. Research limitations Subfield classification information is difficult to obtain. In the illustrative physics study, subfields are treated in groups designated by the Physical Review journals. While this collection of articles represents a broad part of the physics literature, it is not all the literature nor a random sample. Practical implications The method of crediting individual scientists has consequences beyond the individual and affects the perceived impact of whole subfields and institutions. Originality/value The article reveals the consequences of bibliometric methodology on subfields of a disciple by introducing a systematic theoretical framework for measuring the consequences.

Betting on children at risk: Actors’ views on the introduction of social impact bonds in the French field of “childhood in danger”

ABSTRACT Social impact bonds (SIBs) were recently introduced in France as a result of the creation of a state label. A set of promises were associated with the bonds allowing experimental projects to test new methods in dealing with social risk. Social entrepreneurs offered to pioneer them and engage in social innovation. Yet the device immediately triggered questions about the benefits of this type of public−private partnership and the compatibility of the welfare system with social finance. Empirically, it had already been tested abroad, with mixed results. Theoretically, some assumptions to help modelize social risk proved debatable. This paper documents key actors’ views on SIBs in terms of their present and foreseeable effects. Its specific subfield is that of children’s services. Its main contribution is dual. It first consists of identifying what type of arguments and positions work better to promote SIBs in France. Secondly, it points to several forms of decoupling between discourse and practices caused by the superior success of moderate and relatively vague descriptions of SIBs as a set of promises, prefigurative of a major restructuration of the field.

The fragmentation of a discipline: how diversity elevates and undermines Ir’s normative potential

Las relaciones internacionales (RR.II.) se han ido transformando de una disciplina relativa­mente Estado-céntrica, que principalmente se preocupa por la seguridad internacional y el comportamiento de las grandes potencias, en un campo de juego intelectual mucho más diverso. El presente artículo evalúa las impli­caciones de esta transformación en relación con el potencial normativo de las RR.II., el cual es definido en términos de producción de conocimiento y pensamiento crítico. Aunque la creciente diversidad ayuda a abordar los múltiples desafíos y crisis a los que se enfrenta la humanidad, también es evidente que el co­nocimiento y la jerga especializados, que son necesarios para participar en un subcampo particular, impiden que los académicos de las RR.II. se entiendan entre ellos. Este desarrollo no solo socava la vitalidad de nuestro campo de estudio, sino que también obstruye nuestra capacidad de interactuar con actores políticos y relacionarnos con el público. Además, comuni­dades académicas que solo miran hacia adentro minimizan el pensamiento crítico. Aunque no existe una panacea para revertir esta tendencia, el artículo afirma que el cultivo de redes de diálogo puede mitigar sus peores efectos al fa­cilitar el aprendizaje mutuo y mejorar nuestras habilidades comunicativas.

Theses on Theory and History

Theses on Theory and History

Marine engineering and sub-disciplinary variations: a rhetorical analysis of research article abstracts

Abstract This study explores the rhetorical structure and linguistic features of research article abstracts in an applied discipline. Recently, many emerging applied disciplines have evolved to incorporate knowledge from a variety of disciplinary areas. Therefore, the writing style may vary within one discipline. While most studies have compared rhetorical variations between disciplines, few have examined sub-disciplinary variations. The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which variations exist among research article abstracts in three sub-fields of one applied discipline: marine engineering. A small specific corpus consisting of 60 marine engineering abstracts was compiled. By examining similarities and differences in the rhetorical structure, frequently used verbs, tense, and the use of first person pronouns, the analysis showed that sub-disciplinary variations existed among the three sub-fields. For example, the abstracts in the sub-field of automatic control (a discipline closely related to electronic engineering) differ from the abstracts of the other two sub-fields as for rhetorical structure, verb tense, and frequency of use of first-person pronouns. The findings of this study indicate that English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instructors should take into account sub-disciplinary preferences when teaching academic writing so that students can make informed choices when writing in their specific sub-field.

Hippocampal Stratum Radiatum, Lacunosum, and Moleculare Sparing in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with atrophy in entorhinal cortex (ERC), the hippocampus, and its subfields Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA1) and subiculum, which predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to clinical AD. The stratum radiatum, lacunosum, and moleculare (SRLM) are also important gateways involving ERC and CA1, which are affected by early AD pathology. To assess whether the SRLM is affected in MCI and AD. In this proof-of-concept study, 27 controls, 13 subjects with AD, and 22 with MCI underwent 3T MRI. T1 maps were used for whole-hippocampal volumetry, T2 maps were segmented for hippocampal subfield areas, entorhinal cortex and subiculum thickness, and evaluated for SRLM integrity. Significant CA1 atrophy and subiculum thinning were found in both AD and MCI compared to similarly aged controls. However, SRLM integrity was only significantly reduced in AD but not in MCI compared to controls. There were no significant differences in other hippocampal subfields (CA2, CA3/dentate gyrus) or ERC thickness between the groups. Finally, CA1 and CA3/DG areas and SRLM clarity were correlated with clinical and cognitive measurements of disease severity. Although this study was cross sectional, it suggests a progression of specific subfield changes from MCI to established AD that is associated with the reduced integrity of SRLM, which may reflect more widespread hippocampal involvement as the disease progresses and the relative preservation of SRLM in MCI. These results provide new MRI biomarkers for disease staging and understanding of the neurobiology in AD.

Aerosol Production by Vibrating Membrane Technology: Analysis of the Electrolyte Effect on Generated Droplet Size and Nebulizer Output Rate

The performance of vibrating membrane technology (i.e., aerosol droplet size and output rate) depends on the specific electrolyte concentration. However, the underlying factors, which determine nebulizer performance, are currently only poorly understood. This study compared the charge of aerosol droplets (Dekati® BOLAR™) nebulized with the eFlow® rapid and the streaming potential (SurPASS®) forming at the liquid/metal interface. Nebulization of 0.01 mM sodium chloride resulted in a rather large droplet size of >8 μm and an output rate of only ∼0.4 g/min. Increasing the sodium chloride content to 10 mM led to a droplet size of <5 μm and an output rate of ∼1.0 g/min. No significant difference was detected when comparing the net charge-to-mass ratios of generated aerosols. In contrast, the streaming potential (i.e., adversary of droplet detachment) differed remarkably between the 2 electrolyte solutions. The higher salt concentration compensated the electrical potential difference formed at the liquid/metal interface and, thus, caused an increased output rate (and a delivery of smaller aerosol droplets). Overall, this study identified the streaming potential as a significant parameter with impact on vibrating membrane nebulizer performance. The presented results will promote progress in this specific subfield of aerosol drug delivery.

Comparative Historical Sociology and the State: Problems of Method

Historical sociology can be understood both as a specific sub-field of sociology and as providing general conceptual underpinnings of the discipline, to the extent that it provides an understanding of the specificity of the modern state and the perceived emergence of modernity within Europe. The association of modernity with Europe (and with a European history limited to the self-identified boundaries of the continent) is commonplace and pervasive within the social sciences and humanities. What such an understanding fails to take into consideration, however, are the connections between Europe and the rest of the world that constitute the broader context for the emergence of what is understood to be the modern world and its institutions, such as the state and market. In this article, I suggest that integral to this misunderstanding, and its reproduction over time, is the methodology of comparative historical sociology as represented by ideal types. In contrast, I argue for ‘connected sociologies’ as a more appropriate way to understand our shared past and its continuing impact upon the present. I examine these issues in the context of historical sociological understandings of nation-state formation.