Psychoanalytic concepts of violence and aggression

Psychoanalytic clinical theories focus on three different assumptions that overlap to a certain extent depending on individual history (OPD Task Force, 2008): Psychopathology (a) manifests itself as an expression of unconscious conflict between different wishes and needs as well as expectations from the social environment, (b) is an expression of an impairment of personality functioning, and (c) evolves in dysfunctional relationships. Bearing in mind biological protective and risk factors (e.g. Hill, 2002), mental disorders are mainly seen as manifestations of early problems arising from childhood experiences. Thus, psychoanalytic theories tend to deal with the question of how early experiences can have an impact on adult functioning. For example, Benjamin (2003) has stated that representations of past interactions get “copied” into present interactions by three different processes: identification (behaving like a significant other), recapitulation (behaving as being in control of the other), and introjection (treating the self the same way the other did). Psychoanalytic thinking aims to understand each patient individually, starting with the etiology of problems and progressing to the specific psychogenesis of symptoms, that is, how a person copes specifically with aversive experiences and current life situations. In that sense, any psychopathology is regarded as an adaptation to inner and attachment-related problems associated with impaired functioning or dynamic defenses against unbearable mental states. Later in life, these “solutions” may become rigid, may not fit well with the demands of current situations, and may cause suffering both for the individual and for others around him/her. This basic assumption leads to a quite unique stance in psychoanalytic theory, in which symptoms – even the most cruel or irrational behavior – are considered to be meaningful in terms of assuming a vital function of regulating the self or interpersonal relationships. The hidden (or, rather, not superficially obvious) meaning of symptoms can be understood in terms of the individual’s personal history, unconscious conflict, or structural impairment incurred in the course of psychological adaptation to environmental demands which the individual aims to cope with within the limits of his/her constitutional capacities and social resources

Sorption competition and kinetics of trivalent cations (Eu, Y and Cm) on corundum (alpha-Al2O3 ) : A batch sorption and TRLFS study

Abstract In this study we have combined batch sorption and laser spectroscopic investigations to study the sorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III), on the aluminum oxide corundum in single- and multi-metal systems. Experiments were performed using a constant equilibrium time as a function of pH (pH-edges) or at constant pH as a function of equilibrium time (kinetic experiments) in 0.01 M NaClO4 and carbonate free conditions. The objective was to investigate how the sorption behavior of trivalent actinides and lanthanides is affected by the presence of another trivalent metal, Y(III). Our hypothesis was that the addition of higher concentrations of trivalent Y(III) together with a chemically similar trivalent metal, Eu(III) or Cm(III), would affect the sorption behavior of that metal. Batch experiments show that when the concentration of competing Y(III) is high enough (1 × 10−4 M) to occupy most of the surface sites, there is a clear shift in the position of the Eu(III) pH-edge to higher pH. Spectroscopic studies using time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) clearly confirm sorption competition between the trivalent metals Cm(III) and Y(III), but they also indicate a change in the surface speciation of the trivalent actinide in the presence of the competing metal if the concentration of that competing metal is high enough.Peer reviewe

Modeling the complexation properties of mineral-bound organic polyelectrolyte: An attempt at comprehension using the model system alumina/polyacrylic acid/M (M = Eu, Cm, Gd)

International audienceThis paper contributes to the comprehension of kinetic and equilibrium phenomena governing metal ion sorption on organic-matter-coated mineral particles. Sorption and desorption experiments were carried out with Eu ion and polyacrylic acid (PAA)-coated alumina colloids at pH 5 in 0.1 M NaClO4 as a function of the metal ion loading. Under these conditions, M interaction with the solid is governed by sorbed PAA (PAAads). The results were compared with spectroscopic data obtained by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) with Cm and Gd. The interaction between M and PAAads was characterized by a kinetically controlled process: after rapid metal adsorption within less than 1 min, the speciation of complexed M changed at the particle surface till an equilibrium was reached after about 4 days. At equilibrium, one part of complexed M was shown to be not exchangeable. This process was strongly dependent on the ligand-to-metal ratio. Two models were tested to explain the data. In model 1, the kinetically controlled process was described through successive kinetically controlled reactions that follow the rapid metal ion adsorption. In model 2, the organic layer was considered as a porous medium: the kinetic process was explained by the diffusion of M from the surface into the organic layer. Model 1 allowed a very good description of equilibrium and kinetic experimental data. Model 2 could describe the data at equilibrium but could not explain the kinetic data accurately. In spite of this disagreement, model 2 appeared more realistic considering the results of the TRLFS measurements

Efisiensi Hidrodinamis Pemecah Gelombang Tegak Komposit Balok Kotak dan Tiang Pancang dengan Pengisi Batuan

Sebagai negara kepulauan yang memiliki pantai terpanjang didunia, Indonesia membutuhkan banyak pemecahgelombang (termasuk groin dan revetment) tidak hanya untuk melindungi pantai dari penggerusan tetapi jugademi menjaga ketenangan air di kolam pelabuhan untuk manuver kapal dan operasi bongkar-muat. Akan tetapi,sampai sekarang di Indonesia, banyak konstruksi pemecah gelombang dan revetment tidak memperhatikan teknikpantai dan manajemen dengan baik. Ada banyak pemecah gelombang, groin dan revetment yang telah dibangununtuk melindungi pantai-pantai yang kritis, tetapi perencanaan dan konstruksi tidak profesional sehingga merekatidak bertahan lama. Contoh terdekat adalah Pantai Tanjung Bunga, Makassar. Beberapa groin yang dibangun diPantai Akkarena rusak hanya dalam beberapa tahun. Sebuah pemecah gelombang yang terbuat dari silindersilinderbeton, runtuh sebelum selesai. Penyebab kelangkaan pembangunan pemecah gelombang (yang baik)adalah biaya tinggi yang dibutuhkan akibat kesulitan bekerja di laut dan kebutuhan material (yang memenuhisyarat) yang sangat banyak. Studi ini mencari jalan keluar berupa pemecah gelombang (vertikal) yang terbuatdari balok-kotak, tiang-pancang dan pengisi beton. Telah diketahui bahwa pemecah gelombang gundukan batuadalah yang paling efektif meredam energi gelombang (baik transmisi maupun refleksi), dan bahkan setelahruntuh pun masih dapat berfungsi; dengan sedikit perbaikan pada kerusakan, ia akan berfungsi lagi semakin baik.Persoalan utama adalah kebutuhan material yang sangat banyak, dan sebahagian harus dalam ukuran besar.Material ini biasanya diperoleh dari peledakan gunung-gunung batu yang berkualitas baik (SG > 2.7), hal yangsekarang sulit dilakukan karena issue lingkungan. Dengan pemecah gelombang vertikal, ukuran dan jumlah batuyang dibutuhkan sangat berkurang

Biases in research: risk factors for non-replicability in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy research

Replicability of findings is an essential prerequisite of research. For both basic and clinical research, however, low replicability of findings has recently been reported. Replicability may be affected by research biases not sufficiently controlled for by the existing research standards. Several biases such as researcher allegiance or selective reporting are well-known for affecting results. For psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy research, specific additional biases may affect outcome (e.g. therapist allegiance, therapist effects or impairments in treatment implementation). For meta-analyses further specific biases are relevant. In psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy research these biases have not yet been systematically discussed in the context of replicability. Using a list of 13 biases as a starting point, we discuss each bias's impact on replicability. We illustrate each bias by selective findings of recent research, showing that (1) several biases are not yet sufficiently controlled for by the presently applied research standards, (2) these biases have a pernicious effect on replicability of findings. For the sake of research credibility, it is critical to avoid these biases in future research. To control for biases and to improve replicability, we propose to systematically implement several measures in psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy research, such as adversarial collaboration (inviting academic rivals to collaborate), reviewing study design prior to knowing the results, triple-blind data analysis (including subjects, investigators and data managers/statisticians), data analysis by other research teams (crowdsourcing), and, last not least, updating reporting standards such as CONSORT or the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR)