Process of forgiveness in the recovery of Chinese women survivors of intimate partner violence: Empowerment,transformation, and integration

Forgiveness has been found one substantial element in the recovery for women survivors from intimate partner violence following the termination of the abusive relationship. To further investigate the details of forgiveness in this specific context, the present study explored the process of forgiveness using grounded theory. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 Chinese women survivors of IPV. The findings suggest that forgiveness is a strength-based process including empowerment, transformation, and integration phases. In the empowerment phase, survivors obtain strength at the intrapersonal, behavioural, and interpersonal levels. In the transformation phase, survivors complete cognitive transformation for their IPV experiences and emotional transformation towards former partners. In the integration phase, survivors—now freed from the past—reflect upon and apply the changes they have undergone. Two trajectories in the process were found. One trajectory is going through stages sequentially and the other trajectory is experiencing back and forth between empowerment and transformation stages before moving into the integration stage. The study's findings broaden our knowledge of the strength-based forgiveness process that women survivors of IPV undergo during recovery. Practitioners and policymakers could develop programmes and policies that support forgiveness by holistically facilitating their recovery and empowerment like assistance in dealing with life difficulties and promoting their reconnection with social networks. To improve the transferability and validity of the findings, the forgiveness of survivors of IPV could be explored in a diverse sample (e.g., survivors with low educational background or live in the rural area).     

Effects of tamoxifen on normal breast tissue histological composition: Results from a randomised six-arm placebo-controlled trial in healthy women

Tamoxifen prevents recurrence of breast cancer and is suggested for preventive risk-reducing therapy. Tamoxifen reduces mammographic density, a proxy for therapy response, but little is known about its effects in remodelling normal breast tissue. Our study, a substudy within the double-blinded dose-determination trial KARISMA, investigated tamoxifen-specific changes in breast tissue composition and histological markers in healthy women. We included 83 healthy women randomised to 6 months daily intake of 20, 10, 5, 2.5, 1 mg of tamoxifen or placebo. The groups were combined to “no dose” (0-1 mg), “low-dose” (2.5-5 mg) or “high-dose” (10-20 mg) of tamoxifen. Ultrasound-guided biopsies were collected before and after tamoxifen exposure. In each biopsy, epithelial, stromal and adipose tissues was quantified, and expression of epithelial and stromal Ki67, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) analysed. Mammographic density using STRATUS was measured at baseline and end-of-tamoxifen-exposure. We found that different doses of tamoxifen reduced mammographic density and glandular-epithelial area in premenopausal women and associated with reduced epithelium and increased adipose tissue. High-dose tamoxifen also decreased epithelial ER and PR expressions in premenopausal women. Premenopausal women with the greatest reduction in proliferation also had the greatest epithelial reduction. In postmenopausal women, high-dose tamoxifen decreased the epithelial area with no measurable density decrease. Tamoxifen at both low and high doses influences breast tissue composition and expression of histological markers in the normal breast. Our findings connect epithelial proliferation with tissue remodelling in premenopausal women and provide novel insights to understanding biological mechanisms of primary prevention with tamoxifen.     

老年人生命晚期获知疾病信息意向及影响因素CSCD

目的了解老年人生命晚期获知疾病相关信息意向及影响因素。方法2016年10月至2017年6月,采用生命晚期疾病信息意向问卷,利用方便抽样法对福州市中心城区7所养老机构及15个社区的414例年龄≥60岁的老年人进行横断面调查,采用单因素分析、多元线性回归与有序多分类logistic回归分析老年人对疾病相关信息的需求水平、获知程度意向及其影响因素。结果414例老年人疾病相关信息需求得分为(17.1±4.9)分;48.8%(202/414)希望详尽知晓,30.7%(127/414)希望选择性了解,20.5%(85/414)不想知道任何信息;多元线性回归分析显示,年龄、文化程度、是否接受/见过其他生命维持治疗(LSTs)是影响老年人疾病相关信息需求水平的主要因素(标准化回归系数分别为-0.141、0.116、0.115,均P<0.05);有序多分类logistic分析显示,年龄(以60~69岁为参照,70~79岁:OR=0.544,95%CI:0.310~0.957;80~89岁:OR=0.526,95%CI:0.289~0.956)、文化程度(以小学及以下为参照,大专及以上:OR=2.166,95%CI:1.093~4.290)、主要生活费来源(以其他补贴为参照,家人支持:OR=7.303,95%CI:1.157~46.108;退休金:OR=9.288,95%CI:1.502~57.415;公积金/储蓄:OR=15.676,95%CI:2.122~115.793)、是否接受/见过其他LSTs(以是为参照,OR=1.985,95%CI:1.150~3.425)是影响老年人疾病相关信息获知程度意向的主要因素。结论老年人生命晚期获知疾病相关信息的意向程度较高,年龄、文化程度、主要生活费来源、是否接受/见过其他生命维持治疗等是其主要影响因素。     

Education Outcomes of Children Born Late Preterm: A Retrospective Whole-Population Cohort Study

Maternal and Child Health Journal - Early life exposures can have an impact on a child’s developmental trajectory and children born late preterm (34–36&nbsp;weeks gestational age)...