495 research outputs found
A Humanistic Interpretation of the Qur'an?
The presence of great numbers of Muslims in Europe, including The Netherlands, makes it no longer appropriate to view Islam as a non-Western religion. Naturally, Muslims, too, are people who adapt their identity and culture â including their religion â to their circumstances, and simultaneously try to turn these circumstances to their advantage. The fact that Muslims have become ever more visible in The Netherlands has led to public debate on a variety of topics: on forms of cremation and burial, ritual slaughter, honour killing, headscarves, marriage migration and, at the same time, on more abstract questions in the background, for instance the separation of church and state, cultural relativism and the multicultural society
Engineering Substantially Prolonged Human Lifespans: Biotechnological Enhancement and Ethics
Substantial extension of the human lifespan has recently become a subject of lively debate. One reason for this is the completion in 2001 of the Human Genome Project and the experimental avenues for biogerontological research it has opened. Another is recent theoretical progress in biogerontology. We had better investigate the ethical aspects of considerable human lifespan extension now, before this extension has become genuinely practicable, or before large sums of money have been spent on it. We shall see, first, that these apparently technical, biomedical questions cannot be discussed without considering ethics and values, and, second, that this investigation inevitably demands that we try to conceptualise something of what ageing itself and being human is about
Nurse's attunement to patients 'meaning in life. A qualitative study of experiences of Dutch adults ageing in place
Background
Meaning in life (MiL) is considered to be an important part of health and is associated with many positive outcomes in older adults, such as quality of life and longevity. As health promotors, nurses may take patientsâ MiL into account in the care process. There is a knowledge gap in terms of what constitutes good care in relation to older patientsâ MiL, and what the benefits may be for patients when nursing is attuned to this aspect. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of home nursing older adults in relation to nursesâ attunement to MiL.
Methods
Gadamerian hermeneutic phenomenological design with semi-structured interviews. Participants were 24 aged home nursing patients. A framework of care ethical evaluation was used in the analysis. Multiple dialogues enhanced understanding.
Results
Patients did not expect nursesâ regard for their MiL. They rather expected ânormal contactâ and adequate physical care. Nurses showed that they were open to patientsâ MiL by being interested in the patient as a person and by being attentive to specific and hidden needs. Participants explained that the nurseâs behaviour upon arrival set the tone: they knew immediately if there was room for MiL or not. All participants had positive and negative experiences with nursesâ behaviour in relation to MiL. Valued nursing care included maintaining a long, kind and reciprocal relationship; doing what was needed; and skilled personalised care. Participants mentioned âspecial onesâ: nurses who attuned to them in a special way and did more than expected. Benefits of care that was attuned to patientsâ MiL were: experiencing a cheerful moment, feeling secure, feeling like a valuable person and having a good day. Older adults also stressed that consideration for MiL helps identify what is important in healthcare.
Conclusion
Aged homecare patients value nursesâ attunement to their MiL positively. Although patients regard MiL mostly as their own quest, nurses play a modest yet important role. Managers and educators should support nursesâ investment in reciprocal nurse-patient relationships
Overexpression of a NAC transcription factor delays leaf senescence and increases grain nitrogen concentration in wheat
Increasing the duration of leaf photosynthesis during grain filling using slow-senescing functional stay-green phenotypes is a possible route for increasing grain yields in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). However, delayed senescence may negatively affect nutrient remobilisation and hence reduce grain protein concentrations and grain quality. A novel NAC1-type transcription factor (hereafter TaNAC-S) was identified in wheat, with gene expression located primarily in leaf/sheath tissues, which decreased during post-anthesis leaf senescence. Expression of TaNAC-S in the second leaf correlated with delayed senescence in two doubled-haploid lines of an Avalon 3 Cadenza population (lines 112 and 181), which were distinct for leaf senescence. Transgenic wheat plants overexpressing TaNAC-S resulted in delayed leaf senescence (stay-green phenotype). Grain yield, aboveground biomass, harvest index and total grain N content were unaffected, but NAC over-expressing lines had higher grain N concentrations at similar grain yields compared to non-transgenic controls. These results indicate that TaNAC-S is a negative regulator of leaf senescence, and that delayed leaf senescence may lead not only to increased grain yields but also to increased grain protein concentrations.D. Zhao, A. P. Derkx, D.-C. Liu, P. Buchner, M. J. Hawkesfor
'Meaning in life? Make it as bearable , enjoyable and good as possible!' A qualitative study among community-dwelling aged adults who receive home nursing in the Netherlands
The population of adults ageing in place and using homeâcare services is growing rapidly worldwide. Meaning in life (MiL) of this group of clients is relevant for healthcare and social workers. MiL is associated with many positive outcomes, but can be challenging for aged persons. Objective of this study was to explore MiL in daily life of communityâdwelling aged persons who receive homecare. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was followed. Three waves of semiâstructured interviews took place among 24 clients of a homeâcare organisation in the Netherlands between November 2015 and July 2018. Photoâelicitation was part of the interview procedure. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis and dialogues enhanced understanding. Findings show that participants derived meaning from self, others, environment and living. The process of retaining MiL involved maintaining, adapting and discovering. We conclude that communityâdwelling aged adults can draw MiL from many sources. Retaining MiL is interwoven in everyday life and requires continuous adaptation to everâchanging life conditions during later life. Although relevant general themes were sketched in this paper, the importance of each, and the connections between them, vary and come to light at the individual level. The themes in this paper and the cases in the appendices provide insights that may help professionals recognise MiL in their work. Besides listening to the stories of aged adults, personâcentred interventions should support aged adult's strategy to retain MiL
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