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Best Practice & Research. Clinical... Feb 2023Everyone has sexual rights and is entitled to enjoy sex, regardless of gender identity or expression. It is therefore encouraging to witness a recent growth in research... (Review)
Review
Everyone has sexual rights and is entitled to enjoy sex, regardless of gender identity or expression. It is therefore encouraging to witness a recent growth in research on sexuality in transgender individuals. We provide a short overview of extant research on sex and relationships in this population and argue that current research has mostly been conducted from a medical and functional approach; there is a strong focus on negative experiences and prevention; and there is a lack of data regarding psychological and socio-relational variables. Furthermore, many studies have been conducted in a cis- and hetero-normative setting and have methodological shortcomings such as applying questionnaires that have not been validated in a transgender population. We encourage researchers to expand their focus to positive variables such as sexual pleasure and (in accordance with the biopsychosocial model) investigate subjective experiences and relationship variables when studying sexuality in transgender individuals.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Gender Identity; Transsexualism; Sexual Behavior; Transgender Persons
PubMed: 36635133
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpobgyn.2022.102294 -
Perspectives on Psychological Science :... Mar 2023Opposition to gender-affirmative approaches to care for transgender youths by some clinicians has recently begun to consolidate around "gender exploratory therapy" as a...
Opposition to gender-affirmative approaches to care for transgender youths by some clinicians has recently begun to consolidate around "gender exploratory therapy" as a proposed alternative. Whereas gender-affirmative approaches follow the client's lead when it comes to gender, gender-exploratory therapy discourages gender affirmation in favor of exploring through talk therapy the potential pathological roots of youths' trans identities or gender dysphoria. Few detailed descriptions of the approach's parameters have been offered. In this article, I invite clinicians to reflect on gender-exploratory therapy through a series of questions. The questions are followed by an exploration of the strong conceptual and narrative similarities between gender-exploratory therapy and conversion practices. Finally, the ethical dimensions of gender-exploratory therapy are discussed from the lenses of therapeutic neutrality, patient-centered care, loving attention, and therapeutic alliance, suggesting that the approach may be unethical.
Topics: Adolescent; Humans; Transgender Persons; Gender Identity; Transsexualism; Gender Dysphoria
PubMed: 36068009
DOI: 10.1177/17456916221102325 -
The Primary Care Companion For CNS... Mar 2020To investigate the self-esteem and defense mechanisms in patients diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the self-esteem and defense mechanisms in patients diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).
METHODS
This prospective, cross-sectional study included 29 patients diagnosed with HIV/AIDS admitted to inpatient or outpatient clinics between March 2018 and January 2019 and 29 healthy subjects. Participants were assessed using a sociodemographic and clinical data form, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory (RSEI), the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI).
RESULTS
Patients with HIV/AIDS had significantly higher scores on the fantasy, psychosomatic symptoms, and parental interest subscales of the RSEI. There was no significant difference between the groups on the other subscales, including the self-esteem subscale. There was no correlation between the duration of the disease and self-esteem. The neurotic defense mechanism and immature defense mechanism subscale scores of the DSQ were significantly higher in the HIV/AIDS group compared to the control group (P < .01). Undoing and reaction formation scores in neurotic defense mechanisms and projection, devaluation, autistic fantasy, and splitting scores in immature defense mechanisms were significantly higher in the HIV/AIDS group compared to controls (P < .05). There was no significant difference between the groups based on the mature defense mechanisms subscale scores.
CONCLUSIONS
No difference was found in the self-esteem scores of the HIV/AIDS and control groups, and this finding could be associated with the stability of the self-esteem concept. It was also determined that patient group members utilized neurotic and immature defense mechanisms more often compared to the healthy group, and there was no difference between the groups based on mature defense mechanisms.
Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Defense Mechanisms; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Self Concept
PubMed: 32220150
DOI: 10.4088/PCC.19m02577 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2018As one of the predominant pollinator, honeybees provide important ecosystem service to crops and wild plants, and generate great economic benefit for humans.... (Review)
Review
As one of the predominant pollinator, honeybees provide important ecosystem service to crops and wild plants, and generate great economic benefit for humans. Unfortunately, there is clear evidence of recent catastrophic honeybee colony failure in some areas, resulting in markedly negative environmental and economic effects. It has been demonstrated that various environmental stresses, including both abiotic and biotic stresses, functioning singly or synergistically, are the potential drivers of colony collapse. Honeybees can use many defense mechanisms to decrease the damage from environmental stress to some extent. Here, we synthesize and summarize recent advances regarding the effects of environmental stress on honeybees and the wisdom of honeybees to respond to external environmental stress. Furthermore, we provide possible future research directions about the response of honeybees to various form of stressors.
PubMed: 29765357
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00722 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2021Breast cancer (BC) is one of the highest incidence rates in Lebanon. Previous studies had focused scarcely on the unconscious protective shield of patients with BC or...
Breast cancer (BC) is one of the highest incidence rates in Lebanon. Previous studies had focused scarcely on the unconscious protective shield of patients with BC or BC survivors against cancer, while only some studies had focused on the relationship between defense mechanisms (DMs) and high adaptation with the disease process and progress. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the reaction of inpatients with BC toward the disease by measuring DMs in the Lebanon context. Seventy inpatients with BC were recruited randomly from six hospitals. Their DMs were measured using the Defense Mechanism Rating Scale. Moreover, the Relationship Anecdotes Paradigm (RAP) was used with three recent life vignettes of initial diagnosis, family, and daily life. The data were analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and Spearman's rank. Patients with stage 2 BC used more high-adaptive defense levels than patients with stage 4 BC who used more minor image distorting defense levels. Moreover, patients with stage 2 BC used more self-observation and undoing, while patients with stage 4 BC used more devaluation. The severity of BC, the age of carriers, and the social status may lead to higher use of DMs, at the level of the individual defense and the hierarchal or the tripartite levels.
PubMed: 34456786
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.666373 -
International Journal of Microbiology 2020Biotic and abiotic factors cause an enormous amount of yield and economical loss. However, endophytes can play a significant role in enhancing the tolerance of plants.... (Review)
Review
Biotic and abiotic factors cause an enormous amount of yield and economical loss. However, endophytes can play a significant role in enhancing the tolerance of plants. Endophytes systematically colonize different parts of the host, but plants use a variety of defense mechanisms towards microbial infection. However, they have to survive the oxidative environments, and endophytes like sp. encode superoxide dismutases, catalases, and hydroperoxide reductases to cope up the oxidative stress during colonization. On the contrary, others produce subtilomycin which binds with flagella to affect flg22-induced plant defense. The behavior of endophytes can be affected by different genes in hydrolase activity when they come into contact with the host plant. The lifestyle of endophytes is influenced by environmental factors, the host, and microbial genotypes, as well as an imbalance in nutrient exchange between the microbe and the host. For instance, induction of PiAMT1 in root endophyte indicates depletion of nitrogen which plays as a triggering factor for activation of the saprotrophic program. Microbes enhance disease resistance through induced systemic resistance (ISR), and triggers ISR against through an accumulation of the PR1 protein and activates MAPK signaling and WRKY53 gene expression by the JA/ET signaling pathway. Similarly, produces trichodiene that affects through induction of defense-related genes encoding salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonate (JA). Overall, endophytes can play a vital role in disease management.
PubMed: 32802073
DOI: 10.1155/2020/6927219 -
Heliyon Dec 2023The potato plant is one of the main crops in the world. However, relatively little is known about key virulence factors of major fungal and bacterial diseases in... (Review)
Review
The potato plant is one of the main crops in the world. However, relatively little is known about key virulence factors of major fungal and bacterial diseases in potatoes, biocontrol measures to improve activity and stability, and the core driving forces in the control process. Here, we focus on analyzing the mechanisms by which genes, proteins, or (and) metabolites of potato pathogens as key virulence factors. Then, the single strain biocontrol agents, synthetic microbial communities, microbial microcapsule strategies were introduced, and the latter two strategies can improve stability and activity in biocontrol. Meanwhile, summarized the defense mechanisms of biocontrol and their specific issues in practical applications. Furthermore, explore how potato crop management, soil management, and climate effects, as crucial driving forces affect potato biocontrol in the system. Dynamic and systematic research, excavation of biocontrol strain resources, find the causes of regional disease resistance and exploration of biocontrol mechanism will provide promising solutions for biotic stress faced by potato in the future.
PubMed: 38046151
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22390 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2021The study investigated the extent to which defensive functioning and defense mechanisms predict clinically meaningful symptomatic improvement within brief psychodynamic...
The study investigated the extent to which defensive functioning and defense mechanisms predict clinically meaningful symptomatic improvement within brief psychodynamic psychotherapy for recurrent and chronic depression in an inpatient setting. Treatment response was defined as a reduction in symptom severity of 46% or higher from the baseline score on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). A subsample of 41 patients (19 responders and 22 non-responders) from an RCT was included. For each case, two sessions (the second and the penultimate) of brief inpatient psychodynamic psychotherapy (a manualized 12-session therapy program developed in Lausanne) were transcribed and then coded using the Defense Mechanism Rating Scales (DMRS) and the Psychotic Defense Mechanism Rating Scales (P-DMRS), an additional scale developed to study psychotic defenses. Results showed that defensive functioning and mature and immature defense changed during psychotherapy and predicted treatment response. Patient's defenses observed throughout therapy also predicted treatment response at 12-month follow-up. The addition of psychotic defenses allows a better prediction of the treatment response. Overall, these results are in line with previous research and provide further validation of defensive functioning as a predictor of outcomes and a mechanism of change in psychotherapy.
PubMed: 33815219
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.633939 -
Thrombosis Journal 2018Platelets are small non-nucleated cell fragments and the second most abundant cell that play crucial role in managing vascular integrity and regulating hemostasis.... (Review)
Review
Platelets are small non-nucleated cell fragments and the second most abundant cell that play crucial role in managing vascular integrity and regulating hemostasis. Recent finding shows, beyond its hemostatic function platelets also play a main role in fighting against pathogen including viruses. With their receptors, platelet interacts with viral pathogen and this interaction between platelets and viral pathogens result in activation of platelets. Activated platelet releases different molecules that have antiviral activity including kinocidins and other platelet microbicidal peptides. In addition, activated platelet has antiviral role by different mechanism including; phagocytosis of viral pathogen, produce reactive oxygen species and interact with and activate other immune cells. In other side, antiplatelet treatments are one of defending mechanism of viral pathogen. This narrative review summarizes what is known regarding the role of human platelets in fighting viral pathogen.
PubMed: 30026673
DOI: 10.1186/s12959-018-0170-8 -
Infection and Immunity Jun 2020Neutrophils kill invading microbes and therefore represent the first line of defense of the innate immune response. Activated neutrophils assemble NADPH oxidase to... (Review)
Review
Neutrophils kill invading microbes and therefore represent the first line of defense of the innate immune response. Activated neutrophils assemble NADPH oxidase to convert substantial amounts of molecular oxygen into superoxide, which, after dismutation into peroxide, serves as the substrate for the generation of the potent antimicrobial hypochlorous acid (HOCl) in the phagosomal space. In this minireview, we explore the most recent insights into physiological consequences of HOCl stress. Not surprisingly, Gram-negative bacteria have evolved diverse posttranslational defense mechanisms to protect their proteins, the main targets of HOCl, from HOCl-mediated damage. We discuss the idea that oxidation of conserved cysteine residues and partial unfolding of its structure convert the heat shock protein Hsp33 into a highly active chaperone holdase that binds unfolded proteins and prevents their aggregation. We examine two novel members of the chaperone holdase family, RidA and CnoX, whose thiol-independent activation mechanism differs from that of Hsp33 and requires N-chlorination of positively charged amino acids during HOCl exposure. Furthermore, we summarize the latest findings with respect to another bacterial defense strategy employed in response to HOCl stress, which involves the accumulation of the universally conserved biopolymer inorganic polyphosphate. We then discuss sophisticated adaptive strategies that bacteria have developed to enhance their survival during HOCl stress. Understanding bacterial defense and survival strategies against one of the most powerful neutrophilic oxidants may provide novel insights into treatment options that potentially compromise the ability of pathogens to resist HOCl stress and therefore may increase the efficacy of the innate immune response.
Topics: Bacteria; Bacterial Infections; Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Defense Mechanisms; Humans; Hypochlorous Acid; Microbial Viability; Molecular Chaperones; Neutrophils; Oxidants; Oxidation-Reduction; Oxidative Stress; Protein Binding; Respiratory Burst; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 32152198
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.00964-19