20 research outputs found
Institutional Resistance to Religious Diversity in Prisons: Comparative Reflections Based on Studies in Eastern Germany, Italy and Switzerland
Get PDFThis article explores the way in which prison institutions resist to religious diversity in three national contexts: Italy, Germany and Switzerland. The author observes a phenomenon which contributes to this resistance and that she calls ‘institutional neutralisation of Christianity'. Although they are secular state institutions, prisons' profound Christian heritage impacts at a variety of levels beyond their chaplaincies. With the help of Durkheim's and Foucault's contributions on punishment, the author identifies in the punishment-rehabilitation complex a mediator of this Christian heritage contributing to its institutional neutralisation. An illustration of these theoretical insights by empirical observation concludes the article
50 Year Celebration of The Wicker Man
No full textWe will be hosting a live virtual event on Wednesday 22nd November at 7pm (GMT) to celebrate 50 years of one of the most iconic British folklore horror films… THE WICKER MAN.Hosted by: Rebecca McCallum, Assistant Editor at Ghouls MagazineGuests:- Harriet Fletcher, Ghouls Magazine Contributor- Lakkaya Palmer, Ghouls Magazine Contributor- Becci Sayce, Freelance Journalist at MetroUK, Dread Central & Ghouls Magazine- Mike Snoonian, Co-Host of Pod and The Pendulum Podcast- Ali Taylor, Author of Troubled Every Day and Possessio
Circulating inflammatory and neurotrophic markers as moderators and/or mediators of cognitive remediation outcome in people with bipolar disorders
Get PDFBackground Immune dysregulation appears involved in affective disorder pathophysiology. Inflammatory biomarkers have been linked with the cognitive impairment observed in people with bipolar disorders and as such are candidate markers that may improve with, and/or predict outcomes to, cognitive remediation therapies (CRT). Aims Nine candidate biomarkers were examined as putative mediators and/or moderators to improvements following CRT compared with treatment as usual (TAU) from a randomised controlled trial. Method Euthymic adults with bipolar disorders who had been randomised to CRT (n = 23) or TAU (n = 21) underwent blood testing before and after a 12 week intervention period. Five cytokines and four growth factor proteins, selected a priori, were examined in association with global cognition and psychosocial functioning outcomes. Results CRT attenuated a reduction in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), basic fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor-C compared to TAU. For the BDNF, lower baseline levels predicted better functional outcomes across the sample but was more pronounced in TAU versus CRT participants and indicated larger CRT effects in those with a higher BDNF. A moderation effect was also apparent for tumour necrosis factor-β and interleukin-16, with greater CRT versus TAU effects on functioning for participants with lower baseline levels. Conclusions Although preliminary, results suggest that CRT may exert some protective biological effects, and that people with lower levels of neurotrophins or cytokines may benefit more from CRT. We note an absence of associations with cognitive (versus functional) outcomes. These findings require further examination in large well-controlled studies.</p
Zones grises. Diversité religieuse et pouvoir en institution
No full text This article proposes an interpretational strategy allowing us to study religious plurality in a variety of institutions based on the case of penal institutions. The matrix is a synthesis of various recommendations shared by many researchers working on religion in public institutions. To get beyond an approach limiting itself to an institutional, or even organisational, definition of the religious and its representatives and to take the importance of the power issues permeating it in this context into account, the author looks at three aspects: focusing on the religion of various people present in the institution; paying attention to the material and spatial arrangements; taking the ‘symbolic’ dimension of the institution studied into account; from a methodological point of view, making room for an ethnographic approach. Such an approach allows us to grasp the religious in the institution’s ‘grey areas’. This concept is defined and illustrated by the Swiss case. </jats:p
Predictors of Functional Impairment in Bipolar Disorder: Results from 13 Cohorts from Seven Countries by The Global Bipolar Cohort Collaborative
Get PDFObjectives: Persistent functional impairment is common in bipolar disorder (BD) and is influenced by a number of demographic, clinical, and cognitive features. The goal of this project was to estimate and compare the influence of key factors on community function in multiple cohorts of well-characterized samples of individuals with BD. Methods: Thirteen cohorts from 7 countries included n = 5882 individuals with BD across multiple sites. The statistical approach consisted of a systematic uniform application of analyses across sites. Each site performed a logistic regression analysis with empirically derived “higher versus lower function” as the dependent variable and selected clinical and demographic variables as predictors. Results: We found high rates of functional impairment, ranging from 41 to 75%. Lower community functioning was associated with depressive symptoms in 10 of 12 of the cohorts that included this variable in the analysis. Lower levels of education, a greater number of prior mood episodes, the presence of a comorbid substance use disorder, and a greater total number of psychotropic medications were also associated with low functioning. Conclusions: The bipolar clinical research community is poised to work together to characterize the multi-dimensional contributors to impairment and address the barriers that impede patients' complete recovery. We must also identify the core features which enable many to thrive and live successfully with BD. A large-scale, worldwide, prospective longitudinal study focused squarely on BD and its heterogeneous presentations will serve as a platform for discovery and promote major advances toward optimizing outcomes for every individual with this illness.</p
Beyond the Rhetoric of Recognition or Separation: Two Swiss Cantons’ Attempts at Governing Religious Superdiversity
No full textThis text offers a careful description and sociological analysis of two legal innovations undertaken to govern religious diversity (in 2007 and 2019) in the neighboring Swiss cantons, Vaud and Geneva. Although the two cantons have very similar social and cultural conditions, they offer legally opposite solutions—one based on a notion of secularity implying separation, the other favoring recognition of religious diversity. The author argues that beyond an initial appreciation in terms of differences, the two cases are surprisingly similar in their logic of recognition, revealing a sense of deep suspicion towards religious diversity. Drawing on the concept of “recognition” as a multi-dimensional concept including legal, civic, and intimate/person levels and more importantly, on a Foucauldian perspective, this text concentrates on how control is involved at a practical level beyond the rhetoric of empowerment
Analysis of Shipley Microposit Remover 1165 and AZ P4620 Photoresist waste disposal for Company XYZ
Get PDFPlan BCompany XYZ is a company that processes semiconductor wafers. In their process, AZ® P4620 photoresist, an organic compound, is removed by Shipley Microposit Remover 1165, an organic solvent. When this occurs they produce a waste that cannot be disposed into a city’s water system. An analysis was conducted to determine the methods that could be used to treat the waste, recover the solvent and eliminate the use of organic solvents for photoresist stripping. Also the main components of Shipley Microposit Remover 1165 and AZ® P4620 Photoresist were analyzed for different health effects they might attribute for
Comparing measurements of lithium treatment efficacy in people with bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFBackgroundLithium has long been recognised as an effective treatment for bipolar disorder. Its relative efficacy has been measured with a diverse range of clinical outcomes, resulting in differences in efficacy reporting that have not been systematically reviewed.AimsWe aimed to identify and compare the various measures of lithium efficacy employed in interventional studies for people with bipolar disorder.MethodDatabase (PubMed, Web of Science) and hand searches were performed to identify studies that assessed a clinical response in patients with bipolar disorder who received lithium, up to the end of 2021. We included primary human interventional studies without excluding specific study designs, bipolar disorder subtypes, duration or dosage of lithium treatment. Continuous outcome effects were meta-analysed; binary outcomes were synthesised visually and narratively. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess study-level risk of bias.ResultsSeventy-one studies were included (N = 30 542). Approximately two-thirds of participants attained a clinically significant improvement in manic or depressive symptoms, and over 50% achieved remission. About a third required hospital admission (study length 2–12 years) and around 50% needed further treatment to stay well or had recurrence of symptoms; the latter two outcomes tended to be assessed over long-term maintenance periods.ConclusionsAn abundance of measurements have been used to assess lithium's clinical effects, across several study designs. Despite the resultant high heterogeneity, an overall picture of lithium's effects emerges that supports previous literature; between half and two-thirds of patients respond well to lithium across varying outcome measures, baseline mood states, study durations and bipolar disorder subtypes
Comparing measurements of lithium treatment efficacy in people with bipolar disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis
Get PDFBackgroundLithium has long been recognised as an effective treatment for bipolar disorder. Its relative efficacy has been measured with a diverse range of clinical outcomes, resulting in differences in efficacy reporting that have not been systematically reviewed.AimsWe aimed to identify and compare the various measures of lithium efficacy employed in interventional studies for people with bipolar disorder.MethodDatabase (PubMed, Web of Science) and hand searches were performed to identify studies that assessed a clinical response in patients with bipolar disorder who received lithium, up to the end of 2021. We included primary human interventional studies without excluding specific study designs, bipolar disorder subtypes, duration or dosage of lithium treatment. Continuous outcome effects were meta-analysed; binary outcomes were synthesised visually and narratively. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool was used to assess study-level risk of bias.ResultsSeventy-one studies were included (N = 30 542). Approximately two-thirds of participants attained a clinically significant improvement in manic or depressive symptoms, and over 50% achieved remission. About a third required hospital admission (study length 2–12 years) and around 50% needed further treatment to stay well or had recurrence of symptoms; the latter two outcomes tended to be assessed over long-term maintenance periods.ConclusionsAn abundance of measurements have been used to assess lithium's clinical effects, across several study designs. Despite the resultant high heterogeneity, an overall picture of lithium's effects emerges that supports previous literature; between half and two-thirds of patients respond well to lithium across varying outcome measures, baseline mood states, study durations and bipolar disorder subtypes
