A Typology of Coping in Couples Undergoing Fertility Treatment

Poster presentation about the use of cluster analysis to identify clinically meaningful groups of infertile couples, and how such profiles can be used by medical and mental health professionals

Middelalderens blyglaserede kander – et forsøg

Medieval lead-glazed pottery – an experiment By Lone Schmidt Pottery has been produced in Denmark for thousands of years, often of very high quality. In the early Middle Ages the technique was vigorously developed as new aids such as the potter’s wheel were put into use, making it possible to mass produce goods. Clay kilns were built that could be heated to extremely high temperatures. New pottery shapes appeared, first of all the pitcher, and we find glaze for the first time. The article describes a reconstruction of medieval lead-glazed pitchers – a cooperative experiment undertaken by the Moesgaard Museum, the National Museum, and the potter Lone Schmidt. The experiment involved the throwing of 100 pitchers according to measurings of original material from, for instance, Farum Lillevang, Faurholm, Roskilde, Svendborg, Aarhus and Endelave. A copy of the Faurholm kiln was built to fire the 100 pitchers. From a medieval source we know how lead glaze and glazed pottery were produced: “if you wish to lead-glaze the pot, take some wheat flour, boil it in a pan with water, then let it cool and cover the whole of the surface of the pot with it. Then take some lead well ‘solutum’ (divided). However, if you want to obtain a green colour, take some copper, or better still, some brass, and mix it with the lead as follows: take the lead and melt it in a pot; when it is molten stir it by turning with your hands (sic) in the pot until a powder is produced, and mix this then with 6 parts of brass filings. When the pot has been dampened with water and flour sprinkle it immediately with lead, i.e. with the filings mentioned above” (note 1). Different variations of this “recipe” led to the theoretical conclusion that the right glazing technique was probably as follows: boil up a thin wheat flour thickening and allow it to cool before pouring it over the ‘leather-hard’ pitchers, then sprinkle these with a mixture of red lead and clay powder. This is how the well-known bare spots underneath the handle appears. Together with the gelatine that separates from the flour as the thickening boils, the dry lead powder will combine with the still damp clay and “take root” during the drying process. An experiment that is worth trying

Understanding and Treating the Psychosocial Consequences of Infertility

Psychological distress and infertility are linked in a complex pattern, such that distress may be a cause of infertility and reduce the probability of achieving a pregnancy at the same time that infertility may be a cause of psychological distress. Although infertile women are not more likely to be characterized by psychopathology, they are more likely to experience higher levels of distress than comparison groups. Infertile men also experience psychological distress, but women experience more infertility distress than men. Both infertility and its treatment are stressors putting a heavy psychological strain on couple relationships. Whereas there is general agreement about the need for psychological interventions to treat infertility distress, little is known about the efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial intervention. Given the prevalence of infertility and the fact that the numbers of individuals and couples seeking infertility treatments are increasing, it is essential that mental health professionals understand the emotional challenges faced by this population.https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/mft_books/1002/thumbnail.jp

Severe Depressive Symptoms Predict Individual and Partner Infertility-Related Distress at One-Year Follow-up

Poster presentation on whether severe depressive symptoms at baseline are a predictor of individual and partner infertility-related distress after one-year of unsuccessful fertility treatments

Pottemagerier og pottemagerovne: Etnologiske og etnografiske paralleller

Potters and potters’ kilns. Ethnological and ethnographic parallels By Jan Kock and Lone Schmidt Ethnological and ethnographic parallels in traditional pottery making can be very important for our understanding of the remains of medieval pottery kilns found in Denmark. A comprehensive regional investigation in southwestern Europe is pointed out, showing that the updraft type of kiln has been dominant in that area in recent times, while the downdraft kiln has been more common in northern and eastern Europe. A specific example of the updraft type of kiln from Crete is shown. A number of examples from Denmark of traditional pottery works with downdraft kilns in recent time are reviewed, providing much supplementary knowledge of the furnishing of the workshops, the raw material for both pottery clay and lead glaze, production, the construction of the kilns, fuel, the actual firing, and marketing conditions; all elements that expand our understanding of the archaeologically established medieval pottery works