scholarly journals From Powerlessness to Control: Psychosis, Spirit Possession and Recovery in the Western Desert of Egypt

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 10-26
Author(s):  
M. A. Rashed
Keyword(s):  
Spirit Possession ◽  
Symptom Control ◽  
Western Desert ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
Values And Beliefs ◽  
Dakhla Oasis ◽  
The Subject

This article explores an aspect of the cultural modulation of recovery in psychosis. It begins with the idea that recovery hinges on the ability of subjects to relate to their distressing experiences in ways that expand rather than diminish agency.  Based on fieldwork in the Dakhla oasis of Egypt and subsequent analysis, it is argued that interpretations of psychosis as spirit possession offer a broader range of intentionality than biomedical interpretations and therefore broader possibilities of relating to psychotic states. Modes of relating to spirits may take active or passive forms, the former consistent with the recovery goal of symptom control. Factors constitutive of the active, agency-expanding mode of relating include: the nature of spirits; the values and beliefs of the subject; the broader cultural/religious discourses which may make it either more or less likely for the subject to achieve the desired state of control over symptoms.

Benthic foraminiferal response to relative sea-level changes in the Maastrichtian–Danian succession at the Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

2016 ◽  
Vol 155 (3) ◽  
pp. 729-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHERIF FAROUK ◽  
SREEPAT JAIN
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Western Desert ◽  
Level Curve ◽  
Sea Level Changes ◽  
Low Oxygen ◽  
Benthic Environment ◽  
Oxygen Conditions ◽  
Early Paleocene ◽  
Dakhla Oasis ◽  
Regional Tectonics

AbstractThe Maastrichtian–Danian benthic foraminiferal diversity and assemblages through sequence stratigraphy were studied at Dakhla Oasis, Egypt. Benthic foraminifera numbers (BFN), high-flux species and characteristic benthic foraminiferal species and genera distribution are also incorporated to assess palaeobathymetry, palaeoenvironment and palaeoproductivity. All these proxies are then taken together to construct a sea-level curve and interpreted in terms of regional tectonics, climate and eustasy. Data suggest a remarkably highly equitable benthic environment deposited in a brackish littoral and/or marsh setting with moderate (?) to low oxygen conditions and reduced salinity (oligotrophic), possibly due to increased precipitation and terrestrial runoff. The interrupted dominance of calcareous forms and high-organic-flux species suggests occasional marine incursions and high palaeoproductivity, due to local upwelling. The inferred sea-level curve replicates the global eustatic curve and suggests that the curve is more influenced by the prevailing climate and global eustasy rather than by regional tectonics. The post-Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary displays improvement in the environment in terms of diversity and number of species and specimens, with a marked reduction in the abundance of high-organic-flux species during early Paleocene (Danian) time, indicating a shift from a more mesotrophic open marine environment to much reduced oligotrophic conditions.

scholarly journals Sand and Dust Storms (SDS): Types, Characteristics, and Indications

2019 ◽  
Vol 99 ◽  
pp. 01010
Author(s):  
Ali Al-Dousari ◽  
Ali Al Hamoud ◽  
Modi Ahmed ◽  
Noor Al-Dousari
Keyword(s):  
Middle East ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Flood Plain ◽  
Dust Storms ◽  
Western Desert ◽  
Control Factors ◽  
Weather Phenomenon ◽  
Mean Size ◽  
Western Desert Of Iraq ◽  
Dust Deposits

Sand and dust storms (SDS) is a common weather phenomenon in the Middle East. Topography and the northern or northwesterly wind are the main control factors for types of SDS trajectories. The main SDS corridors in the Middle East were classified and spotted from March 2000 to March 2017. The SDS can be classified in the region in accordance to shape and magnitude into three main types namely; Small with 3 subtypes (Arrow shape-straight, Arrow shape-curved and Needle like), Intermediate with 3 subtypes (Curved, Hook and Straight), and Extensive with 6 subtypes (Spiral, Agglomerated-Dense, Agglomerated-Dispersed, Wavy, Hook-Single head, and Hook-multiple heads). Most of the trajectories are located within the northeastern parts of the Middle East. Dust properties led us to sort SDS and their indications. Dust deposits in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and are initiated from Northern Desert of Africa (NDA). On the other hand, dust deposits in the Middle East originate from NDA, Western Desert of Iraq (WD), Mesopotamian Flood Plain (MFP), Ahwaz (HZ), Ahwar (HR) and Baluchistan Desert (BSH). The deposited dust in coastal areas is categorized as trimodal particle size distribution, finer mean size fractions with higher values of particles surface area and contains more carbonates and less quartz percentages compared to fallen dust in inland regions which is dominantly initiated from Western Desert of Iraq (WD), Nafud Desert (NFD) and Empty Quarter (EQ)..

Assessment of patient decision-making capacity in the context of voluntary euthanasia for psychic suffering caused by psychiatric disorders: a qualitative study of approaches among Belgian physicians

2020 ◽  
pp. medethics-2019-105690
Author(s):  
Frank Schweitser ◽  
Johan Stuy ◽  
Wim Distelmans ◽  
Adelheid Rigo
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Psychiatric Disorder ◽  
Cognitive Ability ◽  
Voluntary Euthanasia ◽  
Patient Decision Making ◽  
Patient Decision ◽  
Decision Making Capacity ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Values And Beliefs ◽  
The Subject

ObjectiveIn Belgium, people with an incurable psychiatric disorder can file a request for euthanasia claiming unbearable psychic suffering. For the request to be accepted, it has to meet stringent legal criteria. One of the requirements is that the patient possesses decision-making capacity. The patient’s decision-making capacity is assessed by physicians.The objective of our study is to provide insight in the assessment of decision-making capacity in the context of euthanasia for patients with psychic suffering caused by a psychiatric disorder.MethodTwenty-two semistructured interviews with psychiatrists and neurologists were analysed with NVivo, a qualitative analysis software to code and organise transcribed data.ResultsDifferent views and approaches regarding decision-making capacity in the context of euthanasia emerged from the data.Most of the physicians have some knowledge of the cognitive ability approach on decision-making capacity. According to this approach, four abilities constitute decision-making capacity: communication, understanding, appreciation and reasoning. We observed differences in the way these abilities are valued in relation to competence. Some physicians take additional elements into consideration when assessing decision-making capacity.Physicians acquired their knowledge on the subject in many different ways. Most of the physicians reported that decision-making capacity was not part of their training.ConclusionWe conclude that physicians assess decision-making capacity in different ways and that personal values and beliefs influence their approach. As such, a common approach in assessing the decision-making capacity of a patient among the interviewed physicians is lacking. Less arbitrariness could be obtained by consistently implementing the cognitive ability approach.

Soil Conditions of Dakhla Oasis, Western Desert, Egypt

2021 ◽  
pp. 123-144
Author(s):  
Abdelaziz B. A. Belal ◽  
El-Sayed S. Mohamed ◽  
Mostafa A. Abdellatif ◽  
Mohamed A. E. AbdelRahman
Keyword(s):  
Western Desert ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Dakhla Oasis
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