Single-gendered worlds in science fiction : better for whom?

An excess of one gender is a regular and problematic trope in Science Fiction, instantly removing any potential tension between the two sexes while simultaneously generating new concerns. While female only societies are common, male-only societies are rarer. This is partly a true biological obstacle because the female body is capable of bringing a baby forth into the world after fertilization, or even without fertilization, so that a prospective author’s only stumbling block to accounting for the society’s potential longevity. For example, gynogenesis is a particular type of parthenogenesis whereby animals that reproduce by this method can only reproduce that way. These species, such as the salamanders of genus Ambystoma, consist solely of females which does, occasionally, have sexual contact with males of a closely related species but the sperm from these males is not used to fertilise ova. Instead, it stimulates ovum development without any exchange of genetic material. It is believed that this species has survived due to the extremely rare (perhaps one in one million matings) fertilisation of ova by sperm, allowing genetic mixing and a modicum of biodiversity due to the introduction of new material in this salamander’s gene pool. On the other hand, the male body needs to be considerably re-engineered in order to carry a baby to term, necessitating a uterus, placenta and a delivery mode/orifice. However, conception may be dispensed with through an asexual method of reproduction, such as cloning or parthenogenesis, and the gestating process may be bypassed by a postulated ectogenetic process. The latter may also serve to gestate a baby that is produced by a sexual reproduction, through the conventional recombination of a spermatozoon with an ovum, and the resulting zygote implanted in an artificial uterus in the same way that a zygote is now implanted in a uterus by in-vitro fertilisation. Yet another reason that explains why women-only worlds are commoner than men-only worlds is that a number of writers have speculated whether a world constructed on strict feminist principles might be utopian rather than dystopian, and ‘for many of these writers, such a world was imaginable only in terms of sexual separatism; for others, it involved reinventing female and male identities and interactions’. These issues have been ably reviewed in Brian Attebery’s Decoding Gender in Science Fiction (2002), in which he observes that ‘it’s impossible in real life to to isolate the sexes thoroughly enough to demonstrate […] absolutes of feminine or masculine behavior’, whereas ‘within science-fiction, separation by gender has been the basis of a fascinating series of thought experiments’. Intriguingly, Attebery poses the question that a singlegendered society is ‘better for whom’?peer-reviewe

The coldest of all cold monsters : state infliction of infertility

The state may decide to limit its population due to a variety of reasons. This paper reviews the intersection of state-induced infertility in science-fiction, exploring eugenics, overpopulation, along with state-devised strategies to control both overpopulation and the quality of the remaining population.peer-reviewe

The last (fertile) man on earth : comedy or fantasy?

The trope of infertility in science fiction may be explored through the theme of a single fertile man remaining on earth, with the fate of the entire species devolving on this one single individual. The article will review narratives that deal with this premise, and will outline the obvious, the not so obvious, and the even potentially comic outcomes that arise from the overturning of the usual male-chasing-female paradigm.peer-reviewe

The pill in the future : pharmacological contraception in science fiction

Contraception dates back to Mesopotamian times. Science fiction (SF) has utilised many contraceptive plot devices and this paper will explore these stratagems from the pharmacological point of view. It will be shown that the oral contraceptive pill and the contraceptive implant were both predicted in SF as well as other forms of contraception of which we only, as yet, have tantalising research possibilities.peer-reviewe

Change alone is eternal, perpetual, immortal : pharmacological immortality in science fiction

Immortality is a common feature in science-fiction (SF). This paper lists the ways in which the pharmacological induction of immortality has been depicted in SF, and the resultant outcomes. Immortality or extreme longevity are often melded with infertility in order to eliminate the overpopulation issues that would inevitably arise. This is only one way in which theoretical utopias which afford life extension become dystopias, cautionary tales that admonish against hubris. In this fashion, SF attempts to divine the paths that scientific discoveries or future events reveal to us, and the possible consequences that our decisions may have, whether taken advisedly and with due deliberation, or carelessly with no attempt to discern the consequences of our actions.peer-reviewe

Gaia beware : infertility in SF due to bioterrorism, pollution and accidental iatrogenic events

SF has widely depicted eschatological scenarios of all types since we seem to willingly ‘accept the lure of annihilation, only to discover that it is a temporary condition, a gateway to renewal and rebirth’, an omnipresent theme in legend, myth and ritual. Of these scenarios, infertility in particular is a crucial issue that afflicts many individuals, and epidemiologists estimate that the number of European couples who struggle to have children will double within a decade. One in three couples is likely to suffer infertility in ten years' time, compared with one in seven today, and this is thought to be due to the rising age at first attempt at pregnancy when fertility naturally declines, an increase in sexually transmitted diseases which damage the reproductive organs, a huge increase in obesity which is known to adversely affect fertility, and a declining level of male sperm count and overall sperm quality. This paper will limit itself to the intersection of infertility in SF with bioterrorism, pollution, and accidental iatrogenic events, all potentialities that may affect our fragile biosphere. These depictions are common in the genre, and perhaps this is because ‘catastrophism evidently makes for more compelling fictional narratives than gradualism’. Real-life parallels will be highlighted, where and when appropriate and available, by the author, who is a medical doctor. Errors that go beyond the pale of poetic licence will also be pointed out, since ‘error-free science fiction is an ideal […] impossible of achievement […] not that […] the author can be excused for not trying; unreachability is, after all, what ideals are for’. A wide variety of narrative forms are included, in a comprehensive attempt to include all such narratives, and these include not only novels, short stories and films, but also computer games and comic books.peer-reviewe

L'arteterapia per i pazienti con cardiopatia congenita: metodologia di intervento psicologico presso il Reparto di cardiologia, cardiochirurgia pediatrica e cardiopatie conge- nite dell'adulto, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato = Art therapy for hospitalised congenital heart disease patients: a method of psychological intervention at the IRCCS Policlinico San Donato Milanese Hopsital

Il presente lavoro si colloca nell\u2019ambito della Psicocardiologia e si propone di indagare un nuovo progetto di intervento presso il reparto di Cardiologia pediatrica e del congenito adulto dell\u2019IRCSS di San Donato Milanese. A partire dalla rilevazione delle numerose problematiche che affliggono il bambino e l\u2019adolescente ospedalizzato, fino ad arrivare al peso che lo stato emotivo del genitore ha sulla buona salute del figlio, \ue8 stato individuato un forte bisogno di \u201cprendersi cura\u201d, oltre il mero \u201ccurare\u201d, ossia un bisogno di attenzione sul versante emotivo oltre che fisico. L'arteterapia pu\uf2 essere una risposta a tale bisogno: recenti studi hanno dimostrato la sua efficacia in ambito ospedaliero, tenendo conto anche della predisposizione maggiore che bambini e adolescenti hanno alla creativit\ue0. Attraverso la somministrazione e l'analisi di 10 disegni di giovani pazienti con cardiopatia congenita ricoverati, si riscontra come questo intervento offra loro la possibilit\ue0 di esprimere paure e sentimenti relativi all\u2019intervento chirurgico e al vissuto di malattia, in una modalit\ue0 pi\uf9 libera ed immediata. Inoltre, la creazione di un prodotto tangibile d\ue0 agli psicologi l\u2019occasione per poter meglio considerare il disagio psicologico dei giovani pazienti e poter quindi attuare interventi di supporto pi\uf9 specifici e mirati ad essi e ai loro genitori. Questo studio si occupa di valutare le percezioni che i genitori hanno di questo nuovo intervento terapeutico proposto presso il reparto di Cardiologia e Cardiochirurgia Pediatrica, confermandone l\u2019utilit\ue0 per gli attori coinvolti nel \u201cprendersi cura\u201d dei giovani pazienti affetti da CHD.The current work is the presentation of a new project at the IRCSS San Donato Milanese University hospital, in the sphere of Psychocardiology. Hospitalised children and adolescents often face psychosocial difficulties and the psychological condition of their parents frequently has an impact on their wellbeing. A strong need to take care, beyond the mere cure, is necessary in the hospital settings - that is a need to pay attention also to psychological aspects apart from the medical ones. Art therapy could be an answer for this need: the literature has outlined its efficacy in hospital, also due to the higher inclination of children and adolescents toward creativity. By providing and analysing the drawings of 10 young patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), this study outlines how the art therapy program gives these patients the opportunity to freely and directly express fears and anxieties about medical procedures and their disease. Moreover, through the creation of a tangible product, psychologists can better evaluate the psychological troubles of young patients and provide them and their parents with more focused and personalized support. This study also focuses on the perception of the utility that parents have of this new therapeutic intervention, offered at the Department of Paediatric Cardiac Surgery, confirming that art therapy is perceived as being effective and is definitely a good instrument in helping to "take care" of children and adolescents suffering from CHD

Blood pressure control and treatment adherence in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome: protocol of a randomized controlled study based on home blood pressure telemonitoring vs. conventional management and assessment of psychological determinants of adherence (TELEBPMET Study).

BACKGROUND: Inadequate blood pressure control and poor adherence to treatment remain among the major limitations in the management of hypertensive patients, particularly of those at high risk of cardiovascular events. Preliminary evidence suggests that home blood pressure telemonitoring (HBPT) might help increasing the chance of achieving blood pressure targets and improve patient's therapeutic adherence. However, all these potential advantages of HBPT have not yet been fully investigated. METHODS/DESIGN: The purpose of this open label, parallel group, randomized, controlled study is to assess whether, in patients with high cardiovascular risk (treated or untreated essential arterial hypertension--both in the office and in ambulatory conditions over 24 h--and metabolic syndrome), long-term (48 weeks) blood pressure control is more effective when based on HBPT and on the feedback to patients by their doctor between visits, or when based exclusively on blood pressure determination during quarterly office visits (conventional management (CM)). A total of 252 patients will be enrolled and randomized to usual care (n = 84) or HBPT (n = 168). The primary study endpoint will be the rate of subjects achieving normal daytime ambulatory blood pressure targets (< 135/85 mmHg) 24 weeks and 48 weeks after randomization. In addition, the study will assess the psychological determinants of adherence and persistence to drug therapy, through specific psychological tests administered during the course of the study. Other secondary study endpoints will be related to the impact of HBPT on additional clinical and economic outcomes (number of additional medical visits, direct costs of patient management, number of antihypertensive drugs prescribed, level of cardiovascular risk, degree of target organ damage and rate of cardiovascular events, regression of the metabolic syndrome). DISCUSSION: The TELEBPMET Study will show whether HBPT is effective in improving blood pressure control and related medical and economic outcomes in hypertensive patients with metabolic syndrome. It will also provide a comprehensive understanding of the psychological determinants of medication adherence and blood pressure control of these patients

Post-traumatic stress disorder, emotional processing and Inappropriate Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator Shocks: clinical consideration by a single case report = Disturbo post-traumatico da stress, profilo cognitivo-emotivo e shocks inappropriati del defibrillatore cardiaco impiantabile: Considerazioni cliniche attraverso un single case report

Introduction. Even though an overwhelming amount of evidence supports the clinical efficacy and safety of the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), inappropriate shocks for atrial arrhythmias with rapid ventricular conduction or for abnormal sensing results in multiple adverse effects Presentation. In this study we present the case of a 59- year-old woman who was admitted to hospital for ICD implantation with a past medical history that was positive for non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure (NYHA class III), atrial fibrillation, essential hypertension and a recent episode of syncope. Since in the 18 months follow-up the patient suffered many inappropriate shocks, we investigated the association of the presence of a PTSD (Post- Traumatic-Stress-Disorder) prior to implantation and a specific profile of cognitive processing emotions, with the effectiveness of the ICD. Emotional distress states and cognitive thoughts preceding ICD shock inappropriate episode were recorded by structured mobile diary (eMotional-ICDiary). We outlined how the presence of a highly traumatic event which had occurred 6 years previously was related to a recurrence of a combination of moderate distress and cognitive thoughts, associated with episodes of Inappropriate Shock. A psycho-diagnostic examination and the administration of the Emotional Processing Scale (EPS-25) and Emotional Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) outlined that the patient presented a profile of cognitive processing of emotions characterized by elevated levels of unprocessed emotions, low appraisal and high suppression emotional regulation strategy. Conclusion. The observations gathered in this single case are a good starting point for further research in order to check if the post-traumatic stress disorder and a specific cognitive profile connected to the processing of emotions are associated with the presence of inappropriate ICD shocks. Further larger sample studies are required in this area