Total Abolition Research Articles

Abolition of coercion in mental health services – A European survey of feasibility

BackgroundIn 2019, the Council of Europe agreed to urge member states to take steps toward total abolition of psychiatric coercive measures. AimsTo test if this aspiration is perceived as realistic and what the alternative would be in the event of a total abolition, we surveyed members of the European FOSTREN network of mental health practitioners and researchers, which is specifically dedicated to exchanging knowledge on reducing psychiatric coercion to its minimum. MethodsWeb-based survey. Categorical responses were analyzed using frequencies, and free text responses were analyzed through thematic analysis. ResultsIn total, out of 167 invitations to FOSTREN network members, 76 responded to the survey (Response Rate 45.5%). A minority (31%) of participating experts dedicated to the reduction of psychiatric coercive measures believed a total abolition to be an achievable goal. A commonly held belief was that total abolition is not achievable because mental health disorders are difficult to treat and may cause violence, necessitating coercion, and there is a need to protect the involved persons from harm. Those responding that complete abolition is achievable argued that the consequences of coercion outweigh any gains and indicated that use of advance directives are sufficient as alternatives to coercion. ConclusionOf a European group of experts specifically dedicated to the reduction of psychiatric coercion who participated in this questionnaire study, a minority believed a total abolition be an achievable goal. The study adds to the empirical evidence of the feasibility of the aspiration to totally abolish involuntary measures in the mental health services from the perspective of experts.

Effectiveness of Intracameral Tissue Plasminogen (r-tPA) Activator in Resolution of Fibrinous Reaction in Refractory Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS)

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) in resistant toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) after Phacoemulsification. Study Design: Quasi experimental. Place and Duration of Study: Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from August 2021 to August 2023. Methods: Forty-six patients (46 eyes) with an anterior chamber fibrin reaction after cataract surgery were treated with intra-cameral injection of t-PA (30µg/0.1cc) following failure to respond to conventional treatment with intensive topical and subconjunctival steroids. Outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), clearance/recurrence of the fibrin reaction and complications. Results: Intra-cameral t-PA was injected2 to 6 weeks post Phacoemulsification in TASS cases. Mean post-operative injection time was 18.5± 10.2 days. After 1st day post injection, we observed total abolition of fibrinous exudate in 36(78.2%) cases and subtotal resolution in 10 (21.7%) cases. After 6 weeks the TASS was completely settled in 43(93.4%)cases. Mean BCVA improved from 0.59 ± 0.40 log MAR pre-injection to 0.38 ± 0.40 log MAR at 6th week post-injection (p=0.07). There was no statistically significant difference in BCVA and rate of fibrinolysis between the two groups after post r-tPA injections. Intra-cameral r-tPA was not associated with adverse effects like raised IOP or endophthalmitis. Conclusion: Intra-cameral t-PA injection (30µg/0.1cc)appears to be a safe and effective treatment option for resolving anterior chamber fibrin reaction refractory to conventional steroid therapy following cataract surgery.

Hanging and the mandatory death penalty in Africa: the significance of Rajabu v Tanzania

In November 2019, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Rajabu v Tanzania issued its first major decision related to the substance of the death penalty. The Court found that Tanzania’s mandatory death penalty violated article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the right to life), because it constituted an ‘arbitrary’ deprivation of life. This decision accords with case law from other international treaty bodies and judgments of domestic courts. In addition, the Court found that hanging as a method of execution was ‘inherently degrading,’ a notable finding because most retentionist African countries still use hanging. By assessing the mandatory death penalty under article 4 instead of article 7 (right to a fair trial), the Court’s holding has limited applicability to other mandatory sentences, but the author contends that the Court should extend this precedent in the future to mandatory life imprisonment. The most important question that remains open is whether article 4 requires an individualised sentencing hearing in every case, including where persons with mandatory death sentences have already had their sentences commuted to imprisonment terms by the president without an opportunity to present mitigating evidence. Rajabu significantly contributes to the erosion of the death penalty in Africa and is an incremental precursor to total abolition under article 4 of the Charter.

Designing Viable Republican Constitutions for Modern African States: Why the Institution of Traditional Kingship Must Be Abolished

In this paper I argue for the adoption of an unmitigated republican constitutional system by modern African nation states as a necessary condition for the realisation of their democratic aspirations. I identify the continued retention of the traditional kingship institution, even in a much whittled down form, as a major impediment to the establishment of full-fledged republics in contemporary Africa. I then argue for the total abolition of the kingship system on the following grounds: (i) that it was founded on historical injustice to begin with, (ii) that it has no relevance or utility to modern African states, and (iii) mostimportantly, that its continued existence is antithetical to the requirements of a modern democracy. This last point, I take largely for granted. I provide ashort elucidation of ‘republicanism’ as a constitutional philosophy. Finally, Isuggest some constitutional measures that African nation states may adopt toeradicate the traditional kingship institution and thereby ensure the survivaland flourishing of their republics.

Abolition solarities: Theorizing antiracist and anticapitalist solar energy insurrections

We arrive at an auspicious inflection point in the proliferation of solar photovoltaic systems. Apprised of particular and patterned racial and gendered solar injustices across disparate energy geographies, scholars and practitioners must harness solar power in the service of the total abolition of racial power structures that enshrine inequalities in colonial-capitalist accumulation. Antiracist and anticapitalist approaches to solar interventions can potentially transform social relations and empower the victims of energy injustices. Abolition solarities avail emancipation and redistribution through dismantling white supremacist processes and logics that structure energy regimes. How can solar simultaneously stitch translocal and transnational nets of safety and solidarity among subaltern architects and inheritors of abolition democracy? Aspiring to the existential obligation to change everything, let us wire solar to elucidate emancipation.

The impacts of reforming agricultural policy support on cereal prices: a CGE modeling approach

PurposeThis paper investigates the effects of the total abolition of all forms of agricultural subsidies to producers and border tariffs on the prices of staple cereals.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use the GTAP global economy-wide model and focus on 27 countries and 8 regions. The GTAP database that is used contains information on budgetary transfers to producers and market price support such as domestic price support, tariffs, export subsidies, quotas on exports or imports and other border measures.FindingsThe removal of subsidies is estimated to significantly increase the prices of wheat and other cereal grains in Japan, paddy rice in Malaysia and Indonesia, processed rice in Malaysia and Indonesia and wheat in Brazil and India. When border tariffs are removed, cereal prices are projected to fall in several countries, but the decline is more pronounced for wheat in Kenya and Japan, other cereal grains in South Korea and all staples in Nepal.Research limitations/implicationsThe alternative scenarios on the removal of agricultural subsidies in all agricultural sectors and the elimination of border tariffs are purely speculative as the analysis ignores important political economy considerations of agricultural and food policy reforms.Practical implicationsThe findings from this study point to the importance of implementing additional policy measures to mitigate the possible negative effect of repurposing the support to agriculture and ensure the food security and welfare of those categories of buyers who heavily depend on the price of staple food for their livelihoods.Social implicationsThis study’s findings confirm that the elimination of agricultural subsidies would impact global food security directly by making staple food less affordable to the poorest and indirectly by decreasing the available household budget for other presumably more nutritious food groups. Consequently, it is expected that these price increases could make segments of the world population poorer, particularly the net-food buyers due to a decline in their real income.Originality/valueThe authors assess the impact of removing the subsidies on the economy in a comprehensive way, particularly given the recent policy focus on net zero emissions and Sustainable Development Goals that include healthy foods. The authors also consider the counter effects of tariff reduction on this, which is price-reducing.

The Limits of Vietnam's Incrementalism towards the Abolition of Capital Punishment for Drug Offenses

AbstractInternational law has ruled out the application of the death penalty on drug offenses. Despite failure to meet the threshold to be categorised as one of the ‘most serious crimes’, the practice of capital punishment for drug offences in many parts of the world continues to dismay human rights activists and practitioners. This article aims to exhibit a dynamic view on drug offences under Vietnamese law. It contends that the nation's understanding of the severity of drug offences has witnessed incremental changes corresponding with international standards, although not completely compatible. Drawing on comparative scholarship, the article then moves on to ask whether there is any room left for the total abolition of capital punishment for drug offences. It suggests that Vietnam's incrementalism towards abolition has reached its bounds. Renovation in the understanding on the severity of drug crimes is very much needed to re-fuel the abolitionist movement in the country.

Efficacy and Safety of Novel Aspirin Formulations: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

Low-dose aspirin represents the best option in the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease, but its extensive use in primary prevention is limited by the occurrence of gastric mucosal lesions and increased risk of bleeding. We investigated the safety profile of a novel sublingual aspirin formulation in 200 healthy volunteers, randomly assigned to ten (n = 20 each) different 7-day once-daily treatment regimens. Gastric mucosal injury based on the modified Lanza score (MLS), the histopathology of gastric mucosa and the serum determination of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 levels were evaluated at basal as well as after 7 days of each placebo or aspirin treatment regimen. In Groups A and B (placebo—oral and sublingual, respectively), no changes in MLS and in gastric mucosal micro-vessel diameter were found at day 7. In contrast, in Groups C and D (oral standard aspirin—100 and 50 mg daily, respectively), the median MLS was significantly increased. Very few changes were found in Groups E and F (standard sublingual aspirin—100 and 50 mg, respectively). Groups G and H (oral administration of micronized collagen-cogrinded aspirin) showed gastric protection compared to Groups C and D. Moreover, Groups I and L (sublingual collagen-cogrinded aspirin—100 and 50 mg, respectively) showed a significant reduction (Group I) or total abolition (Group L) of gastric mucosal lesions and no difference compared to the standard one in serum TXB2 and urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 levels. In conclusion, our data show that the new formulation leads to a better safety profile compared to standard aspirin, representing a better therapeutic option for extended use in primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Training of commanding (technical) staff for the Red Army’s railway troops at the military railway technicians’ schools in the first half of the 1920s

The article deals with the training of commanding (technical) staff at schools of military railway technicians’ during the period of military staff training system foundation for the Red Army railway troops in the first half of the 1920s. Topicality of the study is caused by insufficient research of training problems of Red Army railway painter technicians throughout the days of the Civil War ending, the military reform of the 1920s, reorganisation of system of military professional education and stabilisation of a staff contingent. The article reveals the primary activities of the military administration, managing and teaching staff of military railway technicians’ schools in the interests of training technical specialists for the Red Army railway troops. An analysis is made of the disbandment background of mentioned military educational institutions, as well as of the countermeasures taken to preserve them. The finding is about the unreasonableness of the total abolition of military-railway technicians’ schools with the transfer of training junior technical personnel functions directly to the units of railway troops in the format of regimental schools. A brief generalised comparison is made of the Red Army technicians’ historical experience versus the modern training system of junior specialists and technicians of railway troops.

Effect of a free healthcare policy on health services utilisation for non‐malarial febrile illness by children under five years in Burkina Faso: an interrupted time series analysis

To assess the effect of a free healthcare policy for children under five years old implemented in Burkina Faso since April 2016, on the use of health care of non-malarial febrile illnesses (NMFI). To assess the immediate and long-term effect of the free healthcare policy in place, we conducted an interrupted time series analysis of routinely collected data on febrile illnesses from three urban primary health centres of Ouagadougou between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2016. Of the 39046 febrile cases reported in the study period, 17017 NMFI were included in the study. Compared to the period before the intervention, we observed an immediate, non-statistically significant increase of 7% in the number of NMFI (IRR=1.07; 95% CI=0.75, 1.51). Compared to the trend that would have been expected in absence of the intervention, the results showed a small but sustained increase of 6% in the trend of monthly number of NMFI during the intervention period (IRR=1.06; 95%CI=1.01, 1.12). Our study highlighted an increase in the uptake of healthcare services, specifically for NMFI by children under five years of age, after the implementation of a free care policy. This analysis contributes to informing decision makers on the need to strengthen the capacities of healthcare centres and to anticipate the challenges of the sustainability of this policy.

Fear of Death as the Foundation of Modern Political Philosophy and Its Overcoming by Transhumanism

Fear, which has always been one of the most powerful of human passions, has grown in importance during modernity. First with Machiavelli and later especially with Hobbes, fear has become one of the foundational ideas of modern political philosophy. If fear, especially fear of death, does indeed occupy a central place in the foundation of modern politics, then it is necessary to study carefully the implications and consequences of the transhumanist attempt to overcome death. Among the main aspirations of transhumanism is the search for almost infinite longevity and, eventually, the total abolition of aging. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the specific role that fear of death has played in modern political philosophy to understand the possible effects that an eventual overcoming of death would have, albeit partial, as wanted by transhumanists. While the possibility of achieving immortality seems unlikely, this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t study what’s behind this transhumanist aspiration. In this way, transhumanism seems the final consequence of modern development, since it’s in continuity with the modern attempt to respond to the fear of death, but it does so by trying an ultimate solution to it through the elimination of death, at least by sickness and old age. In this paper, we will review the role of fear of death in the founding of modern political philosophy by Machiavelli and Hobbes, and then we will analyse the transhumanist attempt to overcome death as a consequence of this fear and its possible political effects.

The controversy over intellectual property in nineteenth-century France: a comparative analysis between Proudhon and Walras

The debate over intellectual property in nineteenth-century France was structured as follows: liberal economists advocated a system of perpetual intellectual property rights, while socialist thinkers called for their total abolition. Between these two extremes, other economists supported a temporary form of intellectual property: in particular, Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Léon Walras both converged towards this third solution. This article shows that they in fact provide two different analyses of intellectual property rights, which partly overlap with positions in current debates in innovation studies.

Friedrich Nietzsche’s Superman and Its Religious Implications

This paper examines Nietzsche’s idea of the superman and its religious implications, with a view to showing that despite Nietzsche’s rejection of Christian religion and his attack on religious moral ideals, using his concept of the superman, Nietzsche fails in stripping humanity/man of his religious nature. Nietzsche’s superman represents the highest principle of the development of humanity and the affirmation of man’s full potentialities. He posits the superman as a critique on Christian religion and the crisis of modernity. This is because, according to him, the Christian morality stifles the development, freedom and creativity of humanity/man, as well as making him dependent on faith. Consequently, he advocates for the total rejection and abolition of the Christian moral ideals in order to make way for the freedom of humanity/man and consequently the emergence of super-humanity. Attempts are made to articulate Nietzsche’s concept of the superman and to highlight its link with his entire philosophic system. This will be examined critically, in each segment of the paper, to show its implications for religion. The paper employs the method of historical hermeneutics and textual analysis/exposition. Keywords: superman, religion, morality, reevaluation of values, Christianity, nihilism and modernity. DOI : 10.7176/JPCR/45-03 Publication date :October 31 st 2019

ABOUT LIFELONG AND REAL LIFELONG SENTENCE – (SEMI)PERMEABILITY OF THEORY AND PRACTICE – SUPRANATIONAL JUDICIAL APPROACH BY THE EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Desde a proposta de abolição da pena de morte nos países que formam as Altas Partes Contratantes da Convenção Europeia dos Direitos do Homem (47 Estados), gerou-se uma discussão preoccupante e perturbadora. Argumentos distintos, a favor e contra, tem aumentado desde então. Poderia haver uma penalidade suplementar aos crimes mais brutais, semelhantes a tortura e a tratamento desumano ou cruel, privando a vida de modo agravado? A resposta é: "sim" ... com muitas barreiras, pré-condições e pré-requisitos. Pensando profundamente na privação de liberdade por toda a vida do réu / condenado, tem o Estado o poder de fazer isso? O judiciário do Tribunal Europeu dos Direitos Humanos (em Estrasburgo / França) não pôde responder, consequentemente, à questão avassaladora: o caso Vinter e, posteriormente, o caso Hutchinson formaram pontos de vista polêmicos e comprometedores. A Hungria introduziu um remédio jurídico importante, devolvendo a esperança de ser libertado - mesmo condicionalmente: - após 40 anos de prisão, uma Comissão Nacional especialmente formada para esta finalidade, terá autoridade para revisar o comportamento da pessoa condenada na prisão, examinando se ele ou ela pode ser devolvida à sociedade normal ... Pesado trabalho à Comissão, pesadas pré-condições serão dadas a pessoa aprisionada. O presente ensaio tenta esclarecer por que tem sido tão difícil alcançar uma solução comprometida com os princípios e normas da Convenção. Aproveite e forme sua própria opinião.

Functional imaging correlates of akinesia in Parkinson's disease: Still open issues.

Akinesia is a major manifestation of Parkinson's disease (PD) related to difficulties or failures of willed movement to occur. Akinesia is still poorly understood and is not fully alleviated by standard therapeutic strategies. One reason is that the area of the clinical concept has blurred boundaries referring to confounded motor symptoms. Here, we review neuroimaging studies which, by providing access to finer-grained mechanisms, have the potential to reveal the dysfunctional brain processes that account for akinesia. It comes out that no clear common denominator could be identified across studies that are too heterogeneous with respect to the clinical/theoretical concepts and methods used. Results reveal, however, that various abnormalities within but also outside the motor and dopaminergic pathways might be associated with akinesia in PD patients. Notably, numerous yet poorly reproducible neural correlates were found in different brain regions supporting executive control by means of resting-state or task-based studies. This includes for instance the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, the inferior frontal cortex, the supplementary motor area, the medial prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex or the precuneus. This observation raises the issue of the multidimensional nature of akinesia. Yet, other open issues should be considered conjointly to drive future investigations. Above all, a unified terminology is needed to allow appropriate association of behavioral symptoms with brain mechanisms across studies. We adhere to a use of the term akinesia restricted to dysfunctions of movement initiation, ranging from delayed response to freezing or even total abolition of movement. We also call for targeting more specific neural mechanisms of movement preparation and action triggering with more sophisticated behavioral designs/event-related neurofunctional analyses. More work is needed to provide reliable evidence, but answering these still open issues might open up new prospects, beyond dopaminergic therapy, for managing this disabling symptom.

Abolitionist Trend in Polish Criminal Law in the 20th Century

The death penalty was present in the Polish Criminal Law starting with Makarewicz Code, through 1950’s decrets to the Criminal Code of 1969. During that period, crimes punishable with death penalties were constantly changing. From last execution in 1988, there was abolition de facto in Poland. It changed into abolition de iure in 1995. The Criminal Code of 1997 does not include death penalty as penalty. Poland signed two international treaties which provided total abolition even in a time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation.

The apparel industry in the post‐Multifiber Arrangement environment: A review

AbstractThe apparel industry contributes significantly to the economic development of many developing countries. Between 1974 and 2004, the Multifiber Arrangement (MFA) heavily regulated this industry. Since the total abolition of the MFA in 2005, competition in apparel trade has increased many folds and some developing countries, such as Bangladesh and Vietnam, have been successful while some others, such as Mexico and the Philippines, are struggling to meet this challenge. This study presents a historical evolution of the apparel industry before and after the introduction of MFA and analyzes the factors that enhance apparel export performance during the post‐MFA period. The analysis reveals that cheap labor, firm size, product quality, foreign ownership, availability of local input materials, new product development, preferential market access and working conditions are the major factors that help gaining competitiveness in apparel exports during the post‐MFA period. These observations provide new insights to the policy makers and business managers to formulate and implement appropriate policies in order to become competitive in apparel exports.

인공임신중절의 형사법적 쟁점

Korean criminal law punishes abortion in principle and treats it as illegal unless it falls within the scope of specific exceptions. However, the provisions of the criminal law and the Mother and Child Health Act are not entirely consistent with each other. In addition, societal views on the status of women in abortion have changed in recent years. Views now range from the total abolition of the ban on abortion to the strengthening of punishment for the crime of abortion. This article critically examines some of the theoretical issues that are overlooked in typical discussions concerning abortion. More specifically, the article examines abortion from the perspective of the criminal law in an effort to provide some suggestions on how to resolve the moral conflict at the heart of the abortion debate.

Abstract 260: Apigenin nanoparticle suppresses sphere formation in CD133+/ALDH1high prostate cancer stem cells through downregulation of stem cell markers

Abstract The recurrence of prostate cancer after definitive treatment(s) is thought to be due to the potential of rare cancer stem cells (CSCs) to withstand therapy and initiate tumor formation. CSCs are a subpopulation of cancer cells capable of self-renewal and plastic adaptation mediating tumorigenesis, metastasis, and therapy resistance. CSCs are associated with cancer progression and clinical outcome in cancer patients. In the present study, we isolated CSCs from various human prostate cancer 22Rv1, DU145 and PC-3 cells by applying selection of cluster of differentiation 133 cell surface marker and high ALDH1 activity (CD133+/ALDH1high). Next we aimed to identify CD133+/ALDH1high CSCs isolated from human prostate cancer cells and compare their profiles with non-CSCs as bulk counterparts of the population. Subsequently, the CSC population continued to grow in the three-dimensional multicellular spheroids. Differentiation investigated with stem cell-related genomic characteristics exhibited significant increase in genes viz. CD44, Nanog, β-catenin, c-Myc, SOX2 and Oct4 in CSCs at the message level. In further studies we determine the effect of natural plant flavone apigenin on CSC population. Apigenin is abundantly present in common fruits and vegetables and possess remarkable anticancer, anti-angiogenic and anti-metastatic properties. Apigenin loaded polyethylene glycol nanoparticles (Ap-NP) was characterized for particle size, morphology, zeta potential, drug release and encapsulation. Cellular entry and intracellular localization of Ap-NP were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. Treatment of CD133+/ALDH1high CSCs with Ap-NP inhibited cell viability and sphere formation at higher extent in time dependent manner, compared to the non-CSCs counterparts. Furthermore, Ap-NP exposure resulted in the downregulation of Nanog, β-catenin, c-Myc, SOX2 and Oct4 in the CSCs. Taken together, our study demonstrate overexpression of potential CSC markers and the ability to target these CSCs by the use of non-toxic agent apigenin killing this rare population that may lead to the total abolition of tumor recurrence and/or metastasis. Citation Format: Rajnee Kanwal, Sanjeev Shukla, Agata A. Exner, Andreas G. Tzakos, Sanjay Gupta. Apigenin nanoparticle suppresses sphere formation in CD133+/ALDH1high prostate cancer stem cells through downregulation of stem cell markers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 260.

La Peine de Mort et le Droit à la Vie.

Death Penalty has been practiced since human beings decided to constitute nations and live in countries. It was institutionalized to get rid of people who were supposed to be harmful to societies. However, proponents of Capital Punishment do not seem to understand that people may be executed because of their evil acts, but their death will never wipe evil out of their societies.
 Since the ratification of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by a very large majority of countries in the world, the legality and legitimacy of Death Penalty have been constantly questioned by human rights defenders. Even the three major and revealed religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam recognize that life is a sacred right from God. For the people who are against Death Penalty, Capital Punishment is akin to a premeditated voluntary homicide by a government.
 Even if Death Penalty is considered as a deterrent in many societies, it has never been proven that it can stop people from committing murders. The abolition of Death Penalty is nowadays a moral duty for all governments. Even a moratorium is proposed to countries which have not abolished it yet. The tendency today is the total abolition of Capital Punishment in the world and its restoration by countries that have already abolished it is something unheard of, retrograde and senseless.