'The art of forgetting' : a novel in progress

'The Art of Forgetting' is a novel in progress. It can be classified as a work of psychological fiction which adopts the form of a circular narrative. The story is set in Northern Wisconsin, USA. Part One takes place in a mental institution and examines the psychological landscape of Kai Hawkin, the protagonist, in response to events in her life; the precise nature of these events is not elaborated upon. Part Two traces her recent history and ends where Part One begins, thus giving background as to why Kai has been committed to psychiatric care. The setting for Part Two alternates between a Native American Indian reservation and a holiday town close by

Quilts as social text

The acts of writing and reading are exquisitely intertwined at a level that is deeper than the mere writing of a report. These acts are social. Given that our intent is to study social phenomena and re-present them in a text, how can we accomplish this task in a way that does not perpetuate the social scientific discursive tradition that privileges the positionless, invisible, disengaged account? Using a feminist-postmodernist approach to qualitative research, this paper explores the crisis of representation in social science writing. The discursive practices of social scientific knowledge production are explored through the creation of quilts as social texts that are able to communicate across disciplinary boundaries and traditional representational practices. Women and men who were recovering from childhood trauma were asked to represent their life experience in quilt blocks. Participants provided written descriptions of both their quilt blocks and the quilting process. I explore and experiment with the representation of voice(s) through the creation of a reflexive research process and experimental textual style. This paper contributes to the dialogue on the creation of alternative textual styles in social science writing

The art of forgetting

'The Art of Forgetting' is a novel in progress. It can be classified as a work of psychological fiction which adopts the fonn of a circular narrative. The story is set in Northern Wisconsin, USA. Part One takes place in a mental institution and examines the psychological landscape of Kai Hawkin, the protagonist, in response to events in her life; the precise nature of these events is not elaborated upon. Part Two traces her recent history and ends where Part One begins, thus giving background as to why Kai has been committed to psychiatric care. The setting for Part Two alternates between a Native American Indian reservation and a holiday town close by. Within this piece, I have explored three modes of narration. Part One includes first person narrative (Kai's diary entries and AI's emails) and direct verbatim (the recordings of the therapy sessions). Part Two is told in the third person. I have chosen these modes in order to foster a sense of intimacy in Part One and to fonn a platfonn for objectivity in Part Two. I have pursued a number of personal interests through this novel. Firstly, I have researched and written about Borderline Personality Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Both of these conditions have been ascribed to Kai Hawkin. Secondly, I have examined the nature of the relationship between therapist and patient, both in their given roles, and as individuals free of their roles. Also pertinent when considering this type of exchange, is the notion of perspective - specifically, two different people's perspectives on the same situation. I have explored this idea through Kai Hawkin's diary entries and the emails written by her therapist, Albert Bronowitz, to his friend and ex-lover, Hannah. Part Two focuses on the love relationship which develops between Kai Hawkin and Benjamin O'Connor. In the process of following this relationship through its various stages, social questions arise, namely, issues faced by cross-racial couples and the implications of a socio-economic gap within a relationship. In addition, Kai and Ben each have layers of childhood attachment trauma. This has a significant impact on the way their relationship plays out. Parental influence also becomes important, not just within the context of Ben and Kai' s relationship, but also as a template for behaviour forged in younger years. The novel is approximately halfway to completion. Part Two will be concluded and followed by Part Three which returns to the psychiatric institution and charts Kai's progress two years into her therapy with AI. Please see the denouement at the end of the piece for details on the plot's development

Translating policy to practice: Theory-based formative research to improve EC OTC access and messaging in Italy

Background: Italy\u27s 2015 emergency contraception (EC) policy has increased access and reduced some barriers for women to obtain EC. EC is now available over-the-counter for individuals 18 years and older; however, women living in Italy continue to face knowledge and access barriers. Conscientious objection, where providers and pharmacists refuse to prescribe or dispense EC due to personal beliefs, further complicates access and dissemination. Objective: The purpose of the current paper is to understand EC knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among women living in Italy. Additionally, a secondary purpose is to explore the impact of the 2015 EC policy. Methods: Thirty in-person interviews were conducted among women living in or around Florence, aged 18 to 50 years, and using the Italian healthcare system at the time of study enrollment. Researchers used an expanded grounded theory approach to understand women\u27s experiences with EC with diffusion of innovations serving as a conceptual lens for data analysis. HyperRESEARCH, a data management system, assisted with open and axial coding and theme development. Results: Women described low observability of the 2015 policy, expressing surprise regarding increased EC availability. Participants suggested increased messaging in strategic locations to overcome this barrier. Participants held both positive and negative attitudes toward EC. While some perceived the relative advantage of EC compared with unintended pregnancy, others expressed concerns about irresponsibility and EC safety. Finally, conscientious objection impacted healthcare access, despite participant desire for autonomous EC decision-making, suggesting support for increased EC access despite provider barriers. Discussion: Findings offer practical recommendations to guide EC messaging in Italy to increase women\u27s knowledge and to empower women’s access. Additionally, opportunities for communication strategies and access campaigns to improve attitudes and increase knowledge and uptake of over-the-counter EC are discussed

Battle Not with Monsters: Olfactory Stimuli and Traumatic Memories in Liberian Civil War Survivors

Following the reestablishment of peace in war-torn Liberia, a door-to-door mental health epidemiological study sampling of 500 Liberian civil war survivors living in Monrovia was implemented in July 2010. Under the supervision of a clinical psychologist, surveys assessing demographics, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and war trauma experiences were administered to roughly equal numbers of men and women by volunteers working for a local nongovernmental organization. From an evolutionary perspective, two hypotheses were tested based on previous research findings that linked PTSD symptoms to olfactory experiences. First, it was predicted that olfactory-related trauma would be positively correlated to higher reports of intrusive traumatic memories. Second, it was predicted that olfactory-related trauma would be positively correlated to the number of reported symptoms of hyperarousal. A Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that both hypotheses were supported at a p \u3c .05 or better. Treatment implications for the use of olfactory stimuli in exposure therapy are discussed herein

Editing to avoid exclusion

No abstract available

Environmental barriers and enablers to physical activity participation among rural adults: A qualitative study

Issue addressed Social-ecological models of health behaviour acknowledge environmental influences, but research examining how the environment shapes physical activity in rural settings is limited. This study aimed to explore the environmental factors that act as barriers or facilitators to physical activity participation among rural adults. Methods Forty-nine adults from three regions of rural Tasmania, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews that explored features of the environment that supported or hindered physical activity. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results Four key themes emerged: functionality, diversity, spaces and places for all and realistic expectations. \u27Functionality\u27 included connectivity with other destinations, distance, safety, continuity, supporting infrastructure and surfacing. While there was limited \u27diversity\u27 of structured activities and recreational facilities, the importance of easy and convenient access to a natural environment that accommodated physical activity was highlighted. \u27Spaces and places for all\u27 highlighted the importance of shared-use areas, particularly those that were family-and dog-friendly. Despite desires for more physical activity opportunities, many participants had \u27realistic expectations\u27 of what was feasible in rural settings. Conclusions Functionality, diversity, spaces and places for all and realistic expectations were identified as considerations important for physical activity among rural adults. Further research using quantitative approaches in larger samples is needed to confirm these findings. So what? Urban-centric views of environmental influences on physical activity are unlikely to be entirely appropriate for rural areas. Evidence-based recommendations are provided for creating new or modifying existing infrastructure to support active living in rural settings

Probiotic<i> Bacillus subtilis</i> protects against α-synuclein aggregation in <i>C. elegans</i>

How the gut microbiome affects Parkinson's disease remains unclear. Goya et al. show that the probiotic B. subtilis strain PXN21 inhibits and clears α-synuclein aggregation in a C. elegans model. The bacterium acts via metabolites and biofilm formation to activate protective pathways in the host, including DAF-16/FOXO and sphingolipid metabolism.Fil: Goya, María Eugenia. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Xue, Feng. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Sampedro Torres Quevedo, Cristina. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Arnaouteli, Sofia. University Of Dundee; Reino UnidoFil: Riquelme Dominguez, Lourdes. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Romanowski, Andrés. University of Edinburgh; Reino Unido. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Brydon, Jack. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Ball, Kathryn L.. University of Edinburgh; Reino UnidoFil: Stanley-Wall, Nicola R.. University Of Dundee; Reino UnidoFil: Doitsidou, Maria. University of Edinburgh; Reino Unid