Search

This article is a review of the book "Projective identification: a contemporary introduction" by Waska R. The book aims to introduce the concept of projective identification in the contemporary Kleinian tradition. The author uses clinical examples and rhyming mnemonics to describe the therapist's approach to understanding and interpreting projective identification. The book emphasizes the normal use of projective identification as a form of communication, but also acknowledges its potential for destructiveness. It explores the therapist's role in containing and interpreting projective identification, as well as the challenges and benefits of working with this dynamic unconscious phantasy. [Extracted from the article]

He concluded that Seth had a need to be seen for ' ... who I really am', a man with a more receptive, softer side, unlike and different from his own more aggressive father in real life (Diamond, [1], p. 22.). He argues that there is a male potential for penetrability and accessibility and that: ' ... there is a male interior space, an inner path to male receptivity ... ' (Diamond, [1], p. 19). Masculinity and its discontents: the male psyche and the inherent tensions of maturing manhood: Michael J. Diamond, New York, Routledge, 2021, 138 pp., £120. [Extracted from the article]

The literature suggests that recent advances in research, such as genomic studies, may have further complicated consent processes due to the complex nature of these studies and unfamiliarity with the concepts and methodologies involved. Some empirical studies in Africa have reported that although there is general support for genomic studies, particularly on the reuse of samples, there are also concerns about how the interests of key stakeholders such as participants (i.e. sample donors) and the broader local communities from which samples are collected can and should be ascertained and protected. The focus of the paper by Mweemba et al. reports on the findings of a qualitative study with participants recruited for an H3Africa study on rheumatic heart disease in Zambia. The study suggests that conventional ethics standards and practices may not be sufficiently responsive to participant and community concerns and interests in addressing the ethical complexity of the ethical challenges in research. [Extracted from the article]

For Seamus Heaney translation was by no means peripheral to his literary project, but central to it, not least as a means of renewing his creative impetus and extending the reach of his work across multiple times and cultures. This essay examines the reasons behind Heaney's increasing immersion in Greek literature from the mid-1980s onwards. It examines how the political and ethical issues Sophocles addresses inPhiloctetesdrew him to the play, and identifies the contexts – international and local – which shapedThe Cure at Troy’s composition and reception. Unlike many previous discussions which dwell primarily on material Heaney added to the original, this essay offers a meticulous analysis of the entireCure. It evaluates the quality of its poetry and its relationship to Heaney's lyric work up to 1990 and after. A recurring focus of interest are those moments and extended passages where Heaney takes greatest pains to make the source text his own, to settle in and ‘colonize’ it. In demonstrating where, when and why divergences occur, his version is repeatedly compared and contrasted with those of four other eminent translators. What emerges from this is how fully he sought to re-imagine the characters and recast the Chorus, ensuring the audience's empathy for and engagement with these flawed specimens of humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global health practitioners and policymakers have become increasingly vocal about the complex challenges of identifying and quantifying the causes of death of the world's poorest people. To address this cause-of-death uncertainty and to minimise longstanding sensitivities about full autopsies, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have been one of the foremost advocates of minimally invasive autopsy technology (MIA). MIA involves using biopsy needles to collect samples from key organs and body fluids; as such, it is touted as potentially more acceptable and less invasive than a complete autopsy, which requires opening the cadaver. In addition, MIA is considered a good means of collecting accurate bodily samples and can provide the crucial information needed to address cause-of-death uncertainty. In this paper, we employ qualitative data to demonstrate that while MIA technology has been introduced as a solution to the enduring cause-of-death uncertainty, the development and deployment of technologies such as these always constitute interventions in complex social and moral worlds; in this respect, they are both the solutions to and the causes of new kinds of uncertainties. We deconstruct the ways in which those new dimensions of uncertainty operate at different levels in the global health context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adrenal agenesis (AA) defined by the complete absence of development of adrenals is a rare anomaly, which is documented mainly in experimental animals and less frequently in human subjects in the literature. This study was aimed at describing the varied phenotype of this condition in two stillborn and one termination of pregnancy fetuses and two neonates, the associated abnormalities and the difficulties encountered to achieve the prenatal diagnosis. Five cases with AA diagnosed at post-mortem examination were selected and their characteristics were analyzed. The detection of this unusual condition has usually been made as an incidental discovery at post-mortem examination. None of the cases described in this series had been diagnosed at prenatal ultrasonography. Respiratory distress was the commonest clinical presentation in the liveborn. Maternal diabetes was associated with one case. Anomalies of kidneys, lungs, spleen, and blood vessels were associated with two of the cases. No gonadal abnormalities were detected in any of the cases. These cases illustrate the varied clinical presentation of this rare condition and confirm the difficulty in achieving a prenatal diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines Heaney's preoccupation in District and Circle (2006) with international political events during this 'new age of anxiety', and how he initially approaches these circuitously through a return to originary, boyhood experiences. Such momentous acts as the attacks of 9/ll, the 'War on Terror' and the London bombings are filtered through, juxtaposed with and illuminated by episodes both from the ancient past and Heaney's family history. In attendance, as always, throughout the latest volume is the poet's diverse literary ancestry, a reminder of how his work exemplifies core claims made in 'Tradition and the Individual Talent' (1919), where Eliot argues that 'what makes the writer most acutely conscious of his own place in time' is 'the historical sense', 'a feeling for the whole of literature' from Homer onwards. Thus, alongside its detailed address to politics and such crucial literary matters as structure, form and metaphor, the essay repeatedly returns to the intertextual 'presences' which haunt and animate Heaney's continuing creative project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article informs that the decision to have a child is, among other things, a tremendously important moral one. Where it is successful, the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) brings into existence people who would not otherwise have been born. Since the development and clinical availability of ART, those who have controlled its provision have tended to conclude that the decision about whether or not to have a child through ART is not one to be left to the moral consciences of would-be parents alone. It has become in part, and sometimes primarily, a decision for health professionals and for those who regulate reproductive medicine.

Gross alpha and beta activity in sandstone and limestone aquifers of central Texas locally exceed drinking water standards. The Hickory (sandstone), Mid Cambrian (sandstone) and Ellenburger-San Saba (ESS) (limestone) Aquifers registered median alpha levels of 13, 17 and 4 pCi/l, and median beta levels of 18, 17 and 4.5 pCi/l, respectively. Several observations. 46% (Hickory). 67% (Mid-Cambrian) and 16% (ESS), exceeded the 15 pCi/l maximum contaminant level (MCL) for alpha activity. Fewer observations. 18% (Hickory). 0% (Mid-Cambrian) and 10% (ESS), exceeded the 50 pCi/l level of concern for beta activity. There were significant positive correlations between alpha and beta activity in each aquifer, alpha activity and well depth in the ESS Aquifer, and beta activity and well depth in the Hickory and ESS Aquifers. Constituents of sandstone aquifers derived from underlying granite and groundwater moving through weathered zones in granite and overlying shale likely contribute to the radioactivity trends outlined above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traces in detail how and why political and civil disorder broke down in Northern Ireland in the late 1960s, and explores some of the earliest literary responses to that state of collapse. Importance of knowledge of the context in which writers were working to making aesthetic, moral and theological judgments about Northern Irish literature.

Mobility represents a critical component in the functional and disability assessment of older adults because it is related significantly to the maintenance of elder autonomy and independence. The authors' primary purposes are to raise the consciousness of geriatric social workers about the need to consider mobility as an important aspect of older persons' lives in the context of their environment, and to describe the application of a new strategy of mobility assessment that complements existing methods. First, an overview of the literature is provided that emphasizes the clinical relevance of mobility within the context of functional and disability assessment. Second, an application of the Life-Space Mobility Assessment (LSMA) with seniors is described as complementing the more traditional but less precise and sensitive methods of functional assessments typically used by social workers and other health care practitioners. Theoretical links to person-in-environment and ecology models are reviewed, and the implications for training, practice and research for social workers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has consistently highlighted the importance of stakeholder engagement in identifying and developing solutions to ethical challenges in genomic research, especially in Africa where such research is relatively new. In this paper, we examine what constitutes good ethical practice in research, from the perspectives of genomic research participants in Uganda. Our study was part of a multi-site qualitative study exploring these issues in Uganda, Ghana and Zambia. We purposively sampled various stakeholders including genomic research participants, researchers, research ethics committee members, policy makers and community members. This paper presents the findings from in-depth interviews with 27 people with diabetes who had participated in a diabetes genomic study. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews. Manual thematic content analysis was conducted using a framework approach. Findings indicate three key requirements that research participants see as vital for genomic research to be more responsive to research participants' needs and contextual realities: (1) de-emphasising the role of experts and institutions in the consenting process, (2) clarity about the timing and nature of feedback both of findings relevant to the health of individuals and about the broad progress of the study, and (3) more effective support for research participants during and after the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we highlight the reminiscence of a distinguished Veteran of the Vietnam War. The narrative describes his wartime service in Vietnam and the legacy of these experiences across his military career and subsequent civilian life. The individual profiled is not intended to represent all Veterans who served in the Vietnam War. In fact, this is a very unique individual; a highly educated, career officer and committed Catholic who served in various roles within the United States Army Medical Department. This narrative represents memories and reflections from his military career and in his subsequent post-military civilian life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the proposed application of a family covenant to deal with the issue of confidentiality in genetic testing. Ethical questions raised on genetic testing; Situations where ethical issues on genetic testing occur.

Older men are often excluded from family caregiving research despite the steady increase in the number of husbands assuming primary caregiving roles. We explored perceptions of older, male caregivers’ experiences with caring for a wife with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and examined what aspects of the support group were beneficial. Our qualitative research methods invited six caregivers ranging in age from 74 to 85 years to narratively construct their perspectives on caring for their wives with Alzheimer’s Disease and benefits of participation in an all-male support group. Thematic analyses revealed caregivers faced several transitions. “Losses related to their personal relationships with their wife, family, and self,” captured as loss of golden years. The second area, benefits and improvements of support groups, were captured in the following theme: “creating our own space,” which included two sub-themes: “releasing our frustration” and “developing coping strategies.” There was also “Gendered experience of caregiving.” This study revealed that male caregivers benefited from the support and company of other men in similar caregiving situations. Results from this study have implications for health care professionals for the development of psychosocial educational groups aimed at providing support to male caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An obituary is presented for the Irish poet, translator and critic Seamus Heaney.

Realizing the benefits of translating psychiatric genomics research into mental health care is not straightforward. The translation process gives rise to ethical challenges that are distinctive from challenges posed within psychiatric genomics research itself, or that form part of the delivery of clinical psychiatric genetics services. This article outlines and considers three distinct ethical concerns posed by the process of translating genomic research into frontline psychiatric practice and policy making. First, the genetic essentialism that is commonly associated with the genomics revolution in health care might inadvertently exacerbate stigma towards people with mental disorders. Secondly, the promises of genomic medicine advance a narrative of individual empowerment. This narrative could promote a fatalism towards patients' biology in ways that function in practice to undermine patients' agency and autonomy, or, alternatively, a heightened sense of subjective genetic responsibility could become embedded within mental health services that leads to psychosocial therapeutic approaches and the clinician-patient therapeutic alliance being undermined. Finally, adopting a genomics-focused approach to public mental health risks shifting attention away from the complex causal relationships between inequitable socio-economic, political, and cultural structures and negative mental health outcomes. The article concludes by outlining a number of potential pathways for future ethics research that emphasizes the importance of examining appropriate translation mechanisms, the complementarity between genetic and psychosocial models of mental disorder, the implications of genomic information for the clinician-patient relationship, and funding priorities and resource allocation decision making in mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Much has been written in the educational psychology literature about effective feedback and how to deliver it. However, it is equally important to understand how learners actively receive, engage with, and implement feedback. This article reports a systematic review of the research evidence pertaining to this issue. Through an analysis of 195 outputs published between 1985 and early 2014, we identified various factors that have been proposed to influence the likelihood of feedback being used. Furthermore, we identified diverse interventions with the common aim of supporting and promoting learners' agentic engagement with feedback processes. We outline the various components used in these interventions, and the reports of their successes and limitations. Moreover we propose a novel taxonomy of four recipience processes targeted by these interventions. This review and taxonomy provide a theoretical basis for conceptualizing learners' responsibility within feedback dialogues and for guiding the strategic design and evaluation of interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This research examined the extent to which religiosity was predictive of level of depression, even after controlling for race, gender, social support, income sufficiency, and physical health. Data were collected using in-home interviews conducted from 1999 to 2001 with 1,000 adults age 65 to 106. Subjects were recruited from a stratified, random sample of Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and older in five central Alabama counties (three rural and two urban). The sample was stratified by county, race, and sex and included balanced numbers of African American males and females and White males and females. Highly religious persons had lower levels of depression, even when controlling for other known covariates, β = -.16, t(972) p < .001. Females reported higher levels of depression, β = .07, t(972) p < .05. Although race was unrelated to depression in the model including gender and religiosity only, African Americans reported fewer symptoms of depression than did Whites when social support, income sufficiency, and physical health were added to the model, β = - .08, t(972) p < .01. Results suggest the importance of health and social service professionals' drawing upon older adults' positive spirituality in professional interventions to prevent and treat depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biometrics is the science of establishing the identity of an individual based on their physical attributes. Ethical concerns surrounding the appropriate use of biometrics have been raised, especially in resource-poor settings. A qualitative investigation was conducted to explore biometrics clients (n = 14), implementers (n = 12) and policy makers as well as bioethicists (n = 4) perceptions of the ethical aspects of implementing biometrics within the healthcare system in Malawi. Informed use, privacy and confidentiality as well as perceptions of benefits and harms were identified as major issues in the application of biometrics. Implementation of biometrics within the healthcare system in Malawi poses a range of potential ethical issues and practical challenges that impact on equitable uptake. There is a need for more research to explore the benefits and harms of biometrics in practice. Improved community engagement and sensitization should be a required component of biometrics introduction in Malawi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic research and biobanking present several ethical, social and cultural challenges, particularly when conducted in settings with limited scientific research capacity. One of these challenges is determining the model of consent that should support the sharing of human biological samples and data in the context of international collaborative research. In this paper, we report on the views of key research stakeholders in Ghana on what should count as good ethical practice when seeking consent for genomic research and biobanking in Africa. This study was part of a multi-country qualitative case study conducted in three African countries: Ghana, Uganda and Zambia under the auspices of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa initiative (H3Africa). Our study suggests that while participants are willing to give consent for their samples and associated data to be used for future research purposes, they expect to receive feedback about the progress of the research and about the kinds of research being undertaken on their samples and data. These expectations need to be anticipated and discussed during the consent process which should be seen as part of an ongoing communication process throughout the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of broad consent for genomics research raises important ethical questions for the conduct of genomics research, including relating to its acceptability to research participants and comprehension of difficult scientific concepts. To explore these and other challenges, we conducted a study using qualitative methods with participants enrolled in an H3Africa Rheumatic Heart Disease genomics study (the RHDGen network) in Zambia to explore their views on broad consent, sample and data sharing and secondary use. In-depth interviews were conducted with RHDGen participants (n = 18), study staff (n = 5) and with individuals who refused to participate (n = 3). In general, broad consent was seen to be reasonable if reasons for storing the samples for future research use were disclosed. Some felt that broad consent should be restricted by specifying planned future studies and that secondary research should ideally relate to original disease for which samples were collected. A few participants felt that broad consent would delay the return of research results to participants. This study echoes findings in other similar studies in other parts of the continent that suggested that broad consent could be an acceptable consent model in Africa if careful thought is given to restrictions on re-use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper describes a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies that examine the effectiveness of dyadic approaches to life review and reminiscence. Methods: The search process began with 1,056 potentially eligible articles and, after a multi-step screening process, led to 20 full-text articles for review. Results: The resulting studies (ten quantitative, nine qualitative, and one mixed-method) comprised six different kinds of dyadic approaches. There are a combination of benefits and problems associated with dyadic life review and reminiscence approaches. Conclusions: This review provides initial understanding of the impact of life review and reminiscence when care recipients and caregivers participate in the intervention together. Future clinical studies on dyadic approaches to life review and reminiscence should provide clearer descriptions of their protocols, include more consistent measures (incorporating in-the-moment measures), and involve populations of healthy older adults and their partners as well as those with cognitive impairment. The inclusion of qualitative studies helps interpret the diverse results reported in the quantitative studies and highlights key themes related to participating in dyadic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For feedback to be effective, it must be used by the receiver. Prior research has outlined numerous reasons why students’ use of feedback is sometimes limited, but there has been little systematic exploration of these barriers. In 11 activity-oriented focus groups, 31 undergraduate Psychology students discussed how they use assessment feedback. The data revealed many barriers that inhibit use of feedback, ranging from students’ difficulties with decoding terminology, to their unwillingness to expend effort. Thematic analysis identified four underlying psychological processes:awareness, cognisance, agency,andvolition.We argue that these processes should be considered when designing interventions to encourage students’ engagement with feedback. Whereas the barriers identified could all in principle be removed, we propose that doing so would typically require – or would at least benefit from – a sharing of responsibility between teacher and student. The data highlight the importance of training students to be proactive receivers of feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A review of the article "Psychiatric Genomics and Mental Health Treatment: Setting the Ethical Agenda" by Kong and colleagues is presented.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a pluripotent cytokine produced by many cells in the body, which regulates normal and malignant hemopoiesis as well as innate and adaptive immunity. GM-CSF assembles and activates its heterodimeric receptor complex on the surface of myeloid cells, initiating multiple signaling pathways that control key functions such as cell survival, cell proliferation, and functional activation. Understanding the molecular composition of these pathways, the interaction of the various components as well as the kinetics and dose-dependent mechanics of receptor activation provides valuable insights into the function of GM-CSF as well as the related cytokines, interleukin-3 and interleukin-5. This knowledge provides opportunities for the development of new therapies to block the action of these cytokines in hematological malignancy and chronic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study examined the effects of religiosity on the trajectories of depressive symptoms in a sample of community-dwelling older adults over a four-year period in a Southern state in the US. Methods: Data from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Study of Aging were analyzed using a hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) method. This study involved 1000 participants aged 65 and above (M age = 75 at baseline, SD = 5.97) and data were collected annually from 1999 to 2003. The Geriatric Depression Scale measured depressive symptoms; the Duke University Religion Index measured religious service attendance, prayer, and intrinsic religiosity; and control variables included sociodemographics, health, and social and economic factors. Results: The HLM analysis indicated a curvilinear trajectory of depressive symptoms over time. At baseline, participants who attended religious services more frequently tended to report fewer depressive symptoms. Participants with the highest levels of intrinsic religiosity at baseline experienced a steady decline in the number of depressive symptoms over the four-year period, while those with lower levels of intrinsic religiosity experienced a short-term decline followed by an increase in the number of depressive symptoms. Implications: In addition to facilitating access to health, social support and financial resources for older adults, service professionals might consider culturally appropriate, patient-centered interventions that boost the salutary effects of intrinsic religiosity on depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Research and clinical activities are often portrayed as arising from different motivations and having different goals. This study sought to determine lay and professional understandings of research and clinical care within the translational subspecialty of cancer genetics. Fifty-nine lay research participants and 20 professional stakeholders were interviewed. Research and clinical care were described in similar ways by both groups of interviewees, who distinguished these activities according to their temporal orientation and focus. Stakeholders' accounts tended to focus upon the epistemological motivations underlying research activities, whereas research participants emphasized concrete goals, for example, finding a cure for cancer. We discuss the implications of these findings for informed consent. We argue that informed consent for research and clinical interventions should be redefined so that establishing potential research participants'/patients' understanding of the purpose of an intervention, why it is taking place, should be seen as secondary to confirming their understanding of its nature, namely, what will happen and the associated risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need to view the ethical justifications behind two recent sets of U.S. guidelines endorsed by American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) from a family perspective and cites the need to combine individual and family approaches when considering genetic testing in children for adult onset diseases. It indicates that adopting a family perspective on issues raised in genetic practice will help better understand and interpret both sets of recommendations.

An abstract of the article "Family-centred music therapy with preterm infants and their parents in the Neonatal-Intensive-Care-Unit (NICU) in Colombia: A mixed-methods study," by Mark Ettenberger, Helen Odell-Miller, Catherine Rojas Cárdenas, and Michael Parker is presented.