Interpersonal positive reframing in the daily lives of couples coping with breast cancer

Abstract

Objectives: This study examined word use as an indicator of interpersonal positive reframing in daily conversations of couples coping with breast cancer and as a predictor of stress.

Design: The Electronically Activated Recorder (EAR) and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) were used to examine naturally occurring word use conceptually linked to positive reframing (positive emotion, negative emotion, and cognitive processing words).

Sample: Fifty-two couples coping with breast cancer.

Methods: Couples wore the EAR, a device participants wear, that audio-recorded over one weekend (>16,000 sound files), and completed self-reports of positive reframing (COPE) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale). LIWC, a software program, measured word use.

Findings: Both partners’ word use (i.e., positive emotion and cognitive processing words) was associated with their own reported positive reframing, and spouses’ word use was also indicative of patients’ positive reframing. Results also revealed that, in general, words indicating positive reframing predicted lower levels of stress.

Conclusions: Findings supported the hypothesis that partners—and particularly spouses of breast cancer patients—may assist each other’s coping by positively reframing the cancer experience and other negative experiences in conversation.     

非招标采购方式的问题

在军队物资非招标采购方式运用实践中,竞争性谈判采购存在竞争性程度问题、谈判操作中的严密性问题、临时更改评审方法标准和成交条件问题;询价采购存在评审方法和评定成交的标准问题、是否必须有3家以上合格报价问题、指定品牌问题和其他程序问题;单一来源采购存在价格居高不下问题、成本价格随性能同时增长问题、技术创新与技术改造的动力受限问题.     

Through pragmatic eyes: philosophy and the re-sourcing of family nursing

Abstract   This paper explores the integral relationship between philosophy and nursing practice. The discussion begins by suggesting that philosophy is more than a set of abstract ideas or an intellectual activity; that it is a way of living and being in practice. The author contends that philosophical inquiry can improve the adequacy and relevance of family and nursing theories by promoting the examination and expansion of those theories in light of the experiences and intuitions of nurses. Offering a personal example the author exemplifies how philosophical activity can directly and experientially enhance everyday nursing practice.     

Reforming the coroner and death certification service

The intention of the Home Office is to introduce a new system that combines an independent check on all deaths and a professional oversight of death patterns, with, for the majority of cases, the minimum of bureaucracy. No public consultation is intended, so that reforms are not delayed. However as the proposals are developed in the coming months, the details, practicalities and costs will be discussed “with relevant professionals (not defined) and those with experience of the existing arrangements”. The imperfections of the present system are outlined. It is hoped the medical profession will have an input, since statements such as “ ‘hospital post mortems’, which are for medical research and public health protection purposes” need amendment. There should be a change in perception of the audit value of this procedure to BOTH the family and the treating doctor. Unfortunately it is proposed the new system in total should cost no more than at present. “Professionals” (not defined) will be involved in the financial detail.All deaths, after verification and certification of the medical cause of death (if known) would then be referred to the ‘medical examiner’ based in the coroner's office. He/she would be a qualified doctor employed by the new coroner service and independent of the Health Service. The medical examiner could provide supplementary advice on medical matters required by the coroner. “Retention of tissue should only take place where absolutely necessary and the coroner and his or her other staff should take account of the needs of families and friends carefully throughout the process.” “Coroners could take advice from their medical examiner to ascertain and prescribe the minimum level of invasiveness to establish the cause of death.” This issue is far from resolved, as signified by a recent call from the DoH giving a grant to study the value of MRI versus a full post mortem. No thought is given to systemic diseases, which may present in one organ system or another disease process, other than that causing death. Medical examiners will have to keep abreast of current developments in medicine BUT will be outside the NHS, which could cause problems. Medical examiners will be appointed (with an input from Regional Directors of Public Health) and managed from within the coroner service. They would work closely with the registrar of births and deaths.Deaths from unnatural causes or when the medical cause of death is unknown will result in judicial inquests. The medical examiner will have an input into causes of death and relevant investigations.Details of the proposed structure of the system are given, as well as the investigative and other roles of Coroner's officers.The establishment of medico-legal centres, as “examples of good practice” is advocated. The drawbacks of this system are stressed in this paper. There is at present an on-going review of forensic pathology services and it is hoped thought will be given to the increasing trend for sub-specialisation in medicine.     

基于Windows的S12数字程控交换机人机命令查询系统的设计与实现

介绍了基于Windows3.x环境下,用Delphi开发软件,结合面象对象技术、数据库技术、Windows帮助文件系统技术,开发S12数字程控交换机人机命令信息查询系统的过程和方法.并对超文本技术、面向对象技术、数据库技术进行了阐述.通过试运行,验证了本系统的高速、方便、安全、兼容性好等特点.     

基于协同过滤算法的中医智能问诊系统研究＊

目的研究中医智能问诊系统,实现快速获取关键症状并完成辨证,为中医问诊智能化、客观化提供了一种新的思路和方法。方法采用基于物品的协同过滤推荐算法(Item-Based Collaborative Filtering,ItemCF)和遗传算法构建症状获取模块以获取患者的症状,利用随机森林算法构建分类器并基于获取到的症状完成中医辨证。结果该系统实现了高效地获取患者症状并完成中医辨证。在13次提问次数下,便能获得辨证所需的核心症状,实现证候分类器90%以上的辨证效果。结论该问诊系统能够较好地解决中医问诊中"问什么、怎么问"的两个核心问题,相比依据问诊量表获取症状,极大地简化了问诊中关键症状获取的过程,并能够在证候分类中保持较好的分类效果,在问诊客观化研究上具有一定的实用价值。     

Agressions sexuelles commises par des adolescents : relations entre des dimensions de l’organisation de la personnalité et des caractéristiques du délit

ObjectivesAdolescent sexual offending is still an understudied research domain, with no consensual explicative model. Otto F. Kernberg's model of normal and disordered personality functioning constitutes a sound theoretical framework allowing study of the relationships between personality pathology and sexual pathology. The aim of the present research is to explore the relationships between personality organization dimensions and offence characteristics among adolescent sexual offenders. We hypothesize that the more severe offences (in terms of frequency, degree of intrusion, and use of violence) should be associated with a more pathological or immature intrapsychic personality functioning.MethodThe study was based on retrospective analysis of archival data from 40 adolescents aged between 15 and 17 years old who had committed a sexual aggression. Files from which information was retrieved included an assessment protocol, which fully explores psychological, interpersonal and psychosexual functioning of adolescents, as well as police reports depicting offences and their main characteristics. Personality variables of interest were assessed using the Personality Organization Diagnostic Form, and subscales from the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scale and the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory.ResultsSignificant correlations were found, on one hand, between identity diffusion, primitive defense mechanisms and type of object relations, and some offense characteristics (age of victims, type of offence, use of violence). Multiple regression analyses revealed that primitive defense mechanisms explain a significant proportion of variance for the type of offence and the use of violence during aggression.DiscussionResults are coherent with psychodynamic formulations on sexual aggression. Bivariate correlations support Kernberg's formulations regarding the correspondence between sexual and personality pathologies: a more severe sexual pathology in terms of intrusion and use of violence is observed in adolescents showing a more immature personality organization characterized by more identity diffusion, a more pervasive use of primitive defenses, poorer interpersonal functioning, and a failure to integrate aggressive and libidinal drives. Regression analyses showed that primitive defenses (such as denial, splitting, omnipotence and omnipotent control) were the strongest predictor of the type of offence and use of violence during aggressions; this result suggests that primitive defenses may represent a mechanism that entails deactivation of empathy and dehumanization of the other in violent interpersonal encounters. Despite some limitations to the current study, mostly regarding generalization of the results, it opens various research avenues on sexual aggression within a psychodynamic framework, an angle too seldom explored of late.ConclusionsOur observations, which highlight the relationships between intrapsychic personality dimensions and offence characteristics among adolescent sexual offenders, suggest a framework radically different from mainstream Anglo-Saxon literature, which tends to focus on manifest characteristics of the offence, its victim or its perpetrator.