The RAPE Scale is a widely used self-report questionnaire for assessing cognitive distortions related to sexual violence against women. While the French-translated version is used in research and clinical settings, it has never undergone formal validation. This article aims to validate the French version of the RAPE Scale. Study 1 focuses on 142 French-speaking incarcerated male offenders. Study 2 includes 203 participants from a community sample. Results demonstrate good internal consistency and convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity, suggesting the French-translated RAPE Scale is a reliable and valid tool for assessing cognitive distortions among incarcerated offenders and individuals from the community.
This article explores Son odeur après la pluie ( 2023 ) by Cédric Sapin-Defour through the lens of Dominique Lestel’s transdisciplinary theories on interspecies friendship. Challenging deeply entrenched anthropocentric paradigms, both thinkers confront the enduring myth of the animal as automaton and instead affirm the emotional, semiotic, and relational capacities of non-human animals. Sapin-Defour’s poignant account of grieving his dog Ubac destabilizes societal taboos around mourning non-human companions, while Lestel reframes domesticated life as hybrid communities grounded in interspecific cooperation and affection. Sapin-Defour and Lestel argue for a reconfiguration of friendship, identity, and grief beyond the human-animal binary. By foregrounding the shared, affective dimensions of everyday life between species, this essay calls for a philosophical and cultural shift that validates the depth of our bonds with sentient non-human others and acknowledges their transformative role in shaping the human Self.
Schistosomiasis is the most impactful Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) affecting over 240 million people in impoverished tropical and subtropical regions across 78 countries. Despite significant advances in research, praziquantel (PZQ) remains the only available treatment, raising concerns about the emergence of tolerant or resistant Schistosoma strains due to its prolonged and exclusive use. This highlights the urgent need for alternative drugs and therapies. In this context, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising strategy to address the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic limitations of conventional drugs, offering improved solubility, controlled release, enhanced bioavailability, and targeted delivery. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems, such as liposomes, niosomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, lipid nanocapsules, and chitosan nanoparticles with demonstrated antischistosomal activity. It explores the application of both natural and synthetic compounds in various nanoformulations tested in vitro and in vivo . Furthermore, it discusses current challenges and future perspectives in the development of nanotechnology-driven therapies for schistosomiasis, reinforcing their potential as innovative alternatives to conventional treatment.
Using a qualitative approach, this study explores how older people have experienced barriers and facilitators in access to mental health services (MHS). It uses the life-course perspective and the Network Episode Model (NEM) as theoretical frameworks. It addresses three research questions: 1) How have older people experienced access to MHS as older adults and at other times during their life-course? 2) How and why do older people decide to access MHS? and 3) What barriers and facilitators have older people experienced when wanting to use MHS? Four in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with older people (65 +) using mental health services, which were recruited using purposive sampling. The results were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, considering the subjectivity and reflexivity of the researchers. Three themes were identified as the main processes where barriers and facilitators are experienced: 1) Recognising that there is a mental health problem and you can get help, 2) Destigmatisation of mental health, and 3) Need for integral support Participants’ past experiences and knowledge of mental health seem to contribute to help-seeking. Health and mental health professionals, especially GPs, can facilitate access to MHS by recognising, validating and integrating older people’s needs. Conversations about mental health with personal and community organisations can lessen stigma and increase social support. Policies should continue promoting mental health literacy and awareness, and adopt a holistic delivery model from a gerontological perspective that includes older people and their social networks.
In this paper, I reconstruct the genealogy of Baumgarten's definition of aesthetics as “art of thinking beautifully” and its implications for the status of aesthetics. I first analyze the rising interest in a special kind of “art of thinking” dealing with poetic and rhetorical writings, which is clearly stated in Dominique Bouhours at the end of the seventeenth century. Secondly, I discuss Alexander Gottlieb Baumgarten's definition of aesthetics as “ ars pulchre cogitandi ,” which refers to aesthetics as both a systematic discipline and as internalized proficiency or habitus. I then illustrate the fortunes of this definition in coeval logic and aesthetics. In the last part, I examine the crisis of this definition in Herder, who advocates the thesis that aesthetics is solely a science. With the loss of its practical side that the idea of “ ars pulchre cogitandi ” entailed, I argue, aesthetics is no longer expected to answer the question “how shall I think?” and, ultimately, “how shall I live?” but is reduced to a theory of a certain set of entities – the works of art. By disowning its sisterhood with logic, I conclude, aesthetics ends up forging an enduring bond with ontology.
Using archival research, this essay examines the use of motion pictures as a nation branding strategy at international exhibitions, focusing on Canada’s participation at the 1939–40 New York World’s Fair (NYWF). At the time, corporations, industries, nations, and non-profits sponsored the production of ‘useful films’ as a storytelling device to create meaning without appearing as blatant advertising or propaganda. With their throngs of consumer – and travel-minded visitors, world’s fairs were key nontheatrical exhibition sites for these productions. The essay traces the evolution of the Dominion’s exhibition practices from displaying staple resources and recruiting British and American immigrants to tourism promotion. Meanwhile, Canada had become a pioneer in the use of film technology to publicise itself as a modern vacationland for American tourists. The combination of exhibition and film practice as tourism promotion converged at the NYWF. With the pressing need for US currency to succour Canada’s war effort, government officials wagered that adding a stand-alone film auditorium to the Canadian Pavilion in 1940, primarily screening tourism films, was the most effective way to construct a recognisable national brand aimed at fairgoers.
Sexuality is a significant aspect of well-being throughout life. Unfortunately, numerous barriers hinder sexual quality of life (SQOL) of elderly residents in long-term care facilities. The goal of this review was to explore current knowledge on seniors’ SQOL (issues and interventions), as well as existing practices aimed at supporting the intimacy and sexuality of elderly residents. Our first objective was to scope and synthesize current knowledge on barriers to SQOL, existing supporting interventions or strategies, and clinical practices pertaining to SQOL in long-term care facilities. Our second objective was to identify the most promising interventions that could be applied in a Québec context. Four databases were explored to gather scientific literature on the topic over the last 20 years, along with grey literature, and a consultation with relevant stakeholders was conducted during a forum involving 26 participants (seniors, caregivers, clinicians, managers, researchers, and ethics counselors) held in June 2022. Sixty studies were identified, indicating limited evidence supporting best practices to improve the sexuality of elderly individuals. The forum highlighted promising interventions. Identified barriers include sociocultural stereotypes, lack of clear guidelines, and organizational constraints. Recommended interventions include promoting a culture open to residents’ sexuality, community education, and creating suitable private spaces. Continued research would help to better support teams working in residential facilities who must assist elderly individuals with reduced autonomy, with the aim of enhancing intimacy and sexuality among this vulnerable population.
To identify trajectories of chemsex engagement and their evolution across time among men who have sex with men (MSM) and the associated factors. Among 2518 PrEP-using MSM in the French ANRS- Prévenir cohort, a group-based trajectory model was used to identify trajectories of chemsex engagement. A multivariable model was then used to estimate time-constant factors associated with trajectory membership, and time-varying factors associated with the shape of each trajectory. Data were collected quarterly from self-administered online questionnaires and electronic case record forms. The median follow-up time was 21 months [interquartile range: 9-27 months]. Four distinct trajectories were identified: the Null/low ( probability of engagement) (N-CX, n = 1881, 75%), the Increasing (I-CX, n = 158, 6%), the Decreasing (D-CX, n = 195, 8%), and the High (H-CX, n = 284, 11%). Compared to N-CX: MSM in the I-CX and D-CX were younger (OR [95%CI]: 0.95[0.93–0.98], p < 0.001 & 0.94[0.91–0.96] p < 0.001 per additional year or point (p/y), respectively), while MSM in the H-CX were older (1.03[1.01–1.05] p/y, p = 0.016); depression score was higher among the D-CX (1.02[1.00–1.04] p/y, p = 0.026) and lower among the I-CX (0.97[0.94–0.99] p/y, p = 0.028). Use of daily PrEP regimen (compared to ‘on-demand’) was associated with increased and decreased likelihood of chemsex engagement for the H-CX (Coeff.(SE): 0.75(0.33), p = 0.027) and D-CX (−0.41(0.20), p = 0.043), respectively. The likelihood of chemsex engagement increased for the D-CX (0.02(0.01), p = 0.006), H-CX (0.04(0.01), p = 0.004), and N-CX (0.008(0.003), p = 0.011) as their number of casual sex partners increased. Participants in the N-CX and D-CX were more likely to engage in chemsex if they engaged in condomless anal sex during their last sexual encounter [0.86 (0.34), p = 0.011 and 1.63 (0.21), p < 0.001, respectively]. Four different patterns of engagement in chemsex were identified, with specific sexual behaviors and HIV prevention strategies. Differentiated healthcare and prevention approaches could be offered to MSM based on their patterns of chemsex engagement.